The second leg of the Copa Libertadores 2025 Round of 16 between Estudiantes (Argentina) and Cerro Porteño (Paraguay) will take place on August 21 at the Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium in La Plata. The first match ended with a 1-0 victory for Estudiantes. Estudiantes vs. Cerro Porteño: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Estudiantes
Thanks to a penalty scored in stoppage time, Eduardo Dominguez's team secured a 1-0 win in the first match. This victory marks their fourth win in the last five Copa Libertadores matches (1 loss), and the team even performed well in the one defeat during this stretch. Furthermore, Estudiantes' goal-scoring streak in this tournament has reached nine games. To advance to the next round, the club only needs to avoid defeat in the return match.
- At least one opponent failed to score in 5 of Estudiantes' last 7 Copa Libertadores matches.
- The team has scored exactly 1 or 2 goals in 7 of their last 8 Copa Libertadores matches.
- Estudiantes conceded in 5 of their last 7 home matches in this tournament.
Predicted lineup for Estudiantes (4-4-2)
Fernando Muslera – Eric Meza, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Santiago Arzamendia, Facundo Rodriguez – Santiago Ascacibar, Alexis Castro, Cristian Medina, Tiago Palacios – Guido Carrillo, Edwin Cetre.
Cerro Porteño
After losing the first match, the Paraguayans are in a difficult position. To reach the quarter-finals, Diego Martinez's team needs to beat their opponent by at least two goals. However, Cerro Porteño has won only one of their last six Copa Libertadores matches (1 draw, 4 losses), and they failed to score in four of those games. The only victory during this period was achieved with a minimal advantage. If this outcome repeats, a penalty shootout will decide the tie.
- The Paraguayans conceded first in 6 of their last 7 Copa Libertadores matches.
- Cerro Porteño has not won in 8 of their last 11 away matches in this tournament (2 draws, 6 losses).
- In 7 of their last 8 away Copa Libertadores matches, the club did not score more than one goal.
Predicted lineup for Cerro Porteño (3-4-3)
Alexis Martin Arias – Lucas Quintana, Matias Perez, Blas Riveros – Rodrigo Gomez, Wilder Viera, Jorge Morel, Fabricio Dominguez – Jonathan Torres, Juan Iturbe, Ignacio Aliseda.
Referee
Jesus Valenzuela (Venezuela)
Matches – 14 (International matches, 2024 - 2025);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 64;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.6;
Red cards shown – 1;
Average fouls per match – 25;
Penalties – 29%.
Estudiantes vs. Cerro Porteño: Match Prediction
The Paraguayans failed to capitalize on their home advantage, and now it will be very challenging for Diego Martinez's side to achieve a positive outcome. Away from home, Cerro Porteño has won only three of their last 11 Copa Libertadores matches (2 draws, 6 losses). Importantly, they have not won any playoff matches during this stretch. The Argentinians, meanwhile, are formidable at home: Estudiantes have won 11 of their last 15 Copa Libertadores matches (4 losses).
Eduardo Dominguez's team has shown reliable defensive play. In this tournament edition, the Argentinians have kept a clean sheet in 5 of 7 matches. Additionally, they have not conceded more than one goal in 17 of their last 19 home Copa Libertadores matches. For the Paraguayans, the previous match was their fourth in the 2025 Copa Libertadores without scoring. Away from home, Cerro Porteño has scored more than once in only one of their last 8 matches in this tournament.
Considering these factors, my prediction: Estudiantes will not lose and Total under 2.5 goals
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their last match in this tournament.
