Needing a win to prolong their stay in the 2024 Copa Libertadores, Atletico Mineiro welcome Fluminense to Arena MRV on Wednesday in the second leg of that quarter-final tie.
A goal three minutes before the 90 last week lifted the reigning champions to a 1-0 victory over Mineiro heading into this deciding game.
Match preview
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For over 80 minutes last Wednesday, Atletico Mineiro were putting together another solid defensive performance, keeping Flu to the outside and limiting their quality scoring opportunities.
In the end, however, it was not to be, as they narrowly failed to hold out for what would have been a fourth successive clean sheet in this competition.
While the opening leg did not go their way, Gabriel Milito's men have plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into this encounter, winning all of their home contests in the tournament this year, netting multiple times in three of those four instances.
Galo have not advanced from a Copa Libertadores tie after losing the opening leg since 2013, when they followed up a 2-0 defeat versus Olimpia with a victory by that same score in leg two of the final and winning on penalties to lift the trophy for the first and only time in club history.
Seven of their eight goals conceded at the Libertadores this year came in the second half, with four of their six victories at this tournament occurring when they were ahead after 45 minutes.
Atletico Mineiro have only lost one knockout fixture at home in this competition versus a Brasileiro Serie A opponent, suffering a 1-0 defeat in the last 16 versus Palmeiras a year ago.
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As has been the case throughout the Libertadores this year, Fluminense put together another impressive second half in this tie's opening leg, potentially setting them up for a second successive trip into the semi-finals.
Some fine work out wide from Keno and a pinpoint cross to Lima, who headed home his second of the competition, was all they needed to have an advantage heading into this fixture.
Their job, however, is far from over, seeing as Flu have failed to win three of their four away matches at this tournament, losing the previous one in the last 16 at Gremio (2-1).
Mano Menezes has not seen his side find the back of the net in the opening half away from home at the Libertadores throughout the 2024 campaign.
Fluzao have come back to earn a result in two of their away matches at this tournament, though they squandered a 1-0 advantage at Gremio and lost in the previous phase.
They are unbeaten in four of their previous five meetings with Atletico Mineiro, winning their previous visit to Belo Horizonte in the Brasileiro Serie A last month (2-0).
Team News
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A hernia issue will keep Matias Zaracho off the field for Atletico until the end of the campaign, Alisson Santana is dealing with a problem in his thigh and Otavio has a shoulder injury.
Eduardo Vargas is expected to miss a few more weeks due to a calf strain, while Renzo Saravia was sidelined with tightness in his thighs.
Because of a meniscus problem, Ignacio is unlikely to feature for Fluminense on Wednesday, while Thiago Silva was taken off at half time last week with an ankle injury and could be a game-time decision.
Nonato is not expected to return to the fold until early October with a broken nose, while Thiago Santos is eligible to play despite being suspended from their previous league fixture due to yellow card accumulation.
Atletico Mineiro possible starting lineup:
Everson; Fuchs, Battaglia, Alonso; Scarpa, Franco, Gomes, Vera, Arana; Hulk, Paulinho
Fluminense possible starting lineup:
Fabio; Xavier, Carlos, Santos, Marcelo; Martinelli, Bernal; Arias, Ganso, Serna; Elias
We say: Atletico Mineiro 1-0 Fluminense (Atletico Mineiro advance on penalties)
Mineiro have been sharp at home throughout this competition, while Flu have not shown the kind of potency we are used to seeing as the visitors, and in the end, we believe the goalkeeping of Galo will be massive and enable them to reverse this tie.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joel Lefevre
