We are down to the last 16 teams in the Copa Libertadores, and the competition seems to be one of the most intense in recent years given the quality of the clubs involved in the final rounds.
Defending champions Palmeiras have been handed a more than decent draw, as some of the toughest rivals that made it to the final rounds are on the other side of the bracket. Now, it seems that the back-to-back winners will only have to fight against themselves to keep their hopes for a three-peat alive.
Elsewhere, the most curious match of this stage will feature bitter rivals Corinthians and Boca Juniors. These teams met twice during the group stage, and fate will force them to lock horns one more time with a spot for the last eight up for grabs. To make matters more complicated, the winner of that tie will be facing the winner of the clash between Flamengo and Deportes Tolima, one of the most surprising teams in the competition.
Before we go deeper into this week's games, here is the bracket for the final stage of the tournament.
Top Copa Libertadores games to watch this week
Corinthians vs Boca Juniors - The Brazilian side and the Argentine giants shared Group E back in the group stage, and even though Boca concluded that stage in first place, they were unable to beat Corinthians in both ties, losing away from home and drawing the home match. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how things roll between these clubs who have a very good idea on how to damage their rivals.
Cerro Porteño vs Palmeiras - The defending champions will begin their quest for a third title in a row, but facing Cerro will not be a walk in the park. The Paraguayans claimed both of their wins from the group stage at home, and considering that notion, they will try to show why they became a force to be reckoned with when playing at General Pablo Rojas Stadium.
Deportes Tolima vs Flamengo - The Brazilian side led Group H while only dropping two points thanks to an away draw against Talleres, but that form will be put to test by Tolima, who were able to claim two wins against Brazilian clubs in the group stage. Unfortunately for the hosts this evening, their were unable to beat their Brazilian visitors when they played at Manuel Murillo Toro Stadium, which makes us wonder just how able they will be to earn a big win this time around.
Vélez Sarsfield vs River Plate - The clash between two former winners of the Copa Libertadores completes the matches we really need to keep an eye on. Vélez made it to this stage after finishing second in Group C with two wins, two draws, and two losses, while River Plate were one of the most consistent team in the tournament with five wins and only one draw. The only game where they dropped points came in their trip to face Fortaleza, which may give Vélez some hope to earn a good result before the second leg.
Here are all the games for the first games in the Round of 16. More info on the tournament here.
