Barcelona (Ecuador) – Talleres (Argentina)

Barcelona SC wasted a giant chance in their Copa Libertadores’ debut last week, drawing 1-1 at Cobresal in Chile after conceding the equaliser in the 91st minute. On Saturday, the team claimed an easy 4-0 home success over Deportivo Cuenca to make it eight points in five league matches in 2024, sitting in seventh spot of the LigaPro table at the moment. El Idolo stopped a four-match winless streak of three draws and one defeat. Barcelona remain unbeaten in their last 12 as the hosting side, having won nine and drawn three in that spell.

Talleres played an excellent match in the Libertadores opener last Thursday, beating Brazil’s Sao Paulo FC 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Ramiro Ruiz Rodriguez and Ruben Botta. On Saturday, coach Walter Ribonetto fielded a completely alternative XI that ended up drawing 1-1 at home against newcomers Independiente Rivadavia, a disappointing result, but they remain occupying one of the playoff spots in group A on 23 points. In fact, La T are unbeaten in their last nine competitive matches, winning five and drawing four. On away turf, they lost only one of the last six, along with two victories and three stalemates.

Talleres conceded only 3 goals in the last 7 games, Barcelona had only 3 overs in the last 10 games and with the visitors happy with a draw and no playmaker Ramon Sosa due to injury, I expect them to try to play a slow paced game.

BET: UNDER 2.25 @ 1.93