The final three games of the group stage in the Copa Libertadores, and most favorites when the tournament kicked off will have to step it up to honor that forecast, since none of them have dominated their groups as expected. Now, teams such as Fluminense, Racing Club, and Argentinos Juniors have a big chance to secure their place in the next round, all they have to do is add points to their tally this week.
This week's games will kick off on Tuesday, with six matches being played on May 23. There will be a big match between two teams from Brazil, while also Colo-Colo will try to cement their chances of making the next round despite only having four points after three games. Racing Club could also become one of the first teams with a spot in the next round if they manage to win their clash against Aucas.
The day with the most games being played will be Wednesday, where some of the so called favorites will take the pitch in search for more points that will give them a spot in the KO stage. One of those is Boca Juniors, who will make the trip to face Deportivo Pereira and where a win could guarantee their presence in the next round despite a slow start. Another enticing tie will feature Ñublense and Flamengo, who are very close to each other in group A.
Before we look into the games you don't want to miss this week, let us give you a glimpse on how each group looks like after Matchday 3.
| Pos. | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | P | Form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | |||||||||||
| 1 | Fluminense | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | WD | |
| 2 | Colo-Colo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | LW | |
| 3 | Cerro Porteño | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | WL | |
| 4 | Alianza Lima | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1 | LD | |
| Group B | |||||||||||
| 1 | Talleres Córdoba | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | DW | |
| 2 | São Paulo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | WL | |
| 3 | Barcelona | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | DD | |
| 4 | Cobresal | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 | LD | |
| Group C | |||||||||||
| 1 | Huachipato | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | WD | |
| 2 | Estudiantes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | WD | |
| 3 | The Strongest | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | LW | |
| 4 | Grêmio | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 | LL | |
| Group D | |||||||||||
| 1 | Junior | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | DW | |
| 2 | Universitario | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 4 | DW | |
| 3 | LDU Quito | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | WL | |
| 4 | Botafogo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 0 | LL | |
| Group E | |||||||||||
| 1 | Bolívar | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | +5 | 6 | WW | |
| 2 | Flamengo | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | WD | |
| 3 | Millonarios | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 1 | LD | |
| 4 | Palestino | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 0 | LL | |
| Group F | |||||||||||
| 1 | Palmeiras | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | WD | |
| 2 | Independiente del Valle | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 4 | WD | |
| 3 | Liverpool | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 1 | LD | |
| 4 | San Lorenzo | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 1 | LD | |
| Group G | |||||||||||
| 1 | Atlético Mineiro | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | WW | |
| 2 | Peñarol | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 3 | WL | |
| 3 | Rosario Central | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | LW | |
| 4 | Caracas | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 0 | LL | |
| Group H | |||||||||||
| 1 | River Plate | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 6 | WW | |
| 2 | Libertad | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 | WL | |
| 3 | Nacional | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | LW | |
| 4 | Deportivo Táchira | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 0 | LL | |
Now, here are the top games to keep an eye on this week.
Atlético Mineiro vs Athletico-PR - The clash between two Brazilian sides will determine the winner in Group G, with the away team having the upper hand. A win for the visitors could see them confirm their spot as leaders, which would also reduce Mineiro's options to reach the KO stage, as they would only have three points after four games and with only one home game to play in the tournament. Click on the match for more broadcast info.
Argentinos Juniors vs Corinthians - The match between the Argentine club and the team from Sao Paulo could give the Argentines a spot in the next round, while Corinthians are desperate to claim points since they are third in Group E and with two straight losses in this competition. A loss here for the Brazilians would complicate their path to the next round, as it would force them to win their remaining games and wait for their rivals to drop as many points as possible. Please click on the match for broadcast and streaming details.
Sporting Cristal vs River Plate - The team from Peru could shock the world in the event of a win against River Plate, as it would see one of the main candidates to win the crown with barely no options to reach the next stage. Los Millonarios have only won once in this competition, and a loss here could hand a killer blow to their options not only to win one more continental crown, but also of reaching the KO stage. To make matters worse for those involved in this group, their options to reach the defining stage will be reduced when Fluminense confirm their spot in the next round if they can defeat The Strongest in Bolivia. Click on the game above for further match info and broadcast details.
