Flamengo (Brazil) – Talleres (Argentina)
Flamengo took the first step towards the Copa Libertadores round of 16 last Tuesday, when beating Sporting Cristal from Peru 2-0 away at Estadio Nacional. On Saturday, the team secured a 1-1 away draw at Atletico Goianiense in the Brazilian league opener, which means O Rubro Negro suffered only one regular-time defeat across their last 14 competitive matches, winning nine and drawing four in that spell. That loss (to Fluminense 2-0 in the first leg of the Rio de Janeiro State Championship finals) also stopped a four-match unbeaten streak of three victories and one draw as the hosting side.
Talleres also had a happy debut on their return to the Copa Libertadores group stage after two decades: the team managed to beat Chile’s Universidad Catolica 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Matias Esquivel. On Saturday, coach Pedro Caixinha fielded a completely alternative XI that lost 5-1 (also at home) to Defensa y Justicia. As a result, the side remain sharing the bottom spot in the Copa Liga Profesional group A with Atletico Tucuman on five points in nine rounds. However, they won three of the last five in all competitions, losing the other two. On a sorry note, Talleres are on four winless matches on the road, drawing one and losing three since they beat Sarmiento 2-1 in December.
Talleres has been awful this year and I can’t imagine how they will manage to hold the always tough Flamengo.
BET: Flamengo -1.75 @ 2.01