Sao Paulo (Brazil) vs Tigre (Argentina)
Sao Paulo overcame the Copa Sudamericana group stage with one round to go thanks to a solid 5-0 home success over Deportes Tolima. The team remain as group D leaders with 13 points from 15 available and three above Tuesday’s opponents. In fact, they will win the group and leapfrog the playoff even losing by a three-goal margin here. On Saturday, O Tricolor lost 1-0 away at Cruzeiro, which means they remain on 18 points after 12 rounds, sitting in 11th spot of the Brasileirao table. Overall, Sao Paulo lost four of their last six competitive matches in regular time, winning the remaining two. At home, they registered ten wins, three stalemates and four losses in regular time in 2023.
Meanwhile, Tigre also secured at least a ticket to the playoff in their last match in this competition, beating Venezuela’s Puerto Cabello 2-1 at home thanks to goals from Abel Luciatti and Blas Armoa. El Matador made it ten points to stay in second spot of the group B table and hold a tiny chance of win the group as they are trailing leaders Sao Paulo by three. Last Thursday, coach Juan Manuel Sara had a happy debut at the club as his team beat Velez Sarsfield 2-1 at home to make it 25 points and a seven-point gap over the relegation place in the league table. However, Tigre won only two of their last nine matches in all competitions, drawing three and losing four. On away turf, they are on three losses in a row.
Tigre needs a miracle to take the 1st place of the group from Sao Paulo: a 5+ goals win that seems impossible considering how they are playing so even if the brazilians will be happy with a draw, I expect them to get the win here.