The second leg of the Copa Libertadores 2025 Round of 16 between Racing (Argentina) and Peñarol (Uruguay) will take place on August 20 at the President Juan Domingo Perón Stadium in Avellaneda. The first match ended 1-0 in favor of Peñarol. Racing vs. Peñarol: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Racing
In the first encounter, Gustavo Costas's side suffered a 0-1 away defeat. As a result, Racing lost for the first time in their last five Copa Libertadores matches (3 wins, 1 draw) and ended their three-match clean sheet streak in this tournament. Additionally, the club failed to score for the first time in the current Copa Libertadores campaign. To advance to the next playoff round, the team needs to win by a two-goal margin in regular time. Notably, the Argentinians have reached the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals only three times in the 21st century.
- The team has not lost in regular time in 7 of their last 8 home matches in the Copa Libertadores (5 wins, 2 draws).
- At least three goals have been scored in 7 of the last 10 home matches in this tournament.
- The Argentinians have kept a clean sheet in 5 of their last 6 home matches in the Copa Libertadores.
Predicted lineup for Racing (4-3-3)
Gabriel Arias – Gaston Martirena, Gabriel Rojas, Nazareno Colombo, Marco Di Cesare – Juan Nardoni, Agustin Almendra, Santiago Sosa – Santiago Solari Ferreira, Duvan Vergara, Adrian Martinez.
Forward Adrian Martinez will miss the match due to suspension.
Peñarol
In the first match, the Uruguayans outperformed their opponents, extending their unbeaten run in the Copa Libertadores to six matches (4 wins, 2 draws). Moreover, Peñarol kept a clean sheet in five of these encounters. To advance to the next playoff round, the team needs to avoid losing in regular time, and if they lose by a one-goal margin, extra time will be played. It is worth noting that the Uruguayans have reached the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals only once since the 2011/12 season.
- The club has not won in regular time in 13 of their last 16 away matches in the Copa Libertadores (1 draw, 12 losses).
- The team has not conceded more than one goal in 5 of their last 7 away matches in this tournament.
- The Uruguayans have scored a maximum of one goal in 7 of their last 8 away matches in the Copa Libertadores.
Predicted lineup for Peñarol (4-4-2)
Brian Cortes – Javier Mendez, Emanuel Gularte, Nahuel Herrera, Maximiliano Olivera – Eric Remedi, Ignacio Sosa, Javier Cabrera, Emiliano Trindade – Leonardo Fernandez, Maximiliano Silvera.
Racing vs. Peñarol: Match Prediction
In the first match, the teams did not deliver a spectacular performance, and I expect a similar style in the second leg. Racing, even at home, tends to pursue results cautiously, prioritizing solid defense, and in 3 of their last 4 home Copa Libertadores matches, they have not scored more than one goal. Meanwhile, the Argentinians effectively neutralize opponents' attacks, having kept a clean sheet in five of their last six home matches in this tournament.
Peñarol will likely try to maintain their advantage from the first match and play cautiously. Additionally, the team has not been prolific on the road: in 20 of their last 22 away Copa Libertadores matches, the Uruguayans have scored a maximum of one goal, and in ten instances, they failed to score at all. At the same time, they can be defensively solid: in 5 of their last 7 away matches, Peñarol has conceded no more than one goal, keeping clean sheets in four of these encounters.
I expect a low-scoring match, so my prediction: Total under 2.5 goals
