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Buenos Aires-based rivals Velez Sarsfield and River Plate will lock horns at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 on Wednesday.
Velez finished second in Group C with eight points, while River Plate were the Group F winners with 16. They enjoyed a winless run in the group stage and will hope to extend that in this fixture.
Both sides made it to the knockout stage of the competition last season. Velez were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Barcelona SC, while River Plate faced a 4-0 defeat against Atletico Mineiro in the quarter-finals.
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Velez are struggling at the moment, winning just once in the Argentina Primera Division. River Plate, meanwhile, have made it two wins in a row in the league, beating Lanus 2-1 on Sunday.
Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate Head-to-Head
The two teams have met 82 times across competitions since 1959. River Plate have the better record in this fixture, leading 34-19 in wins, while 29 games have ended in draws.
This will be their tenth meeting in the continental competition. While most of the games have ended in draws (seven), River Plate have won twice and lost just once.
They last met in the Argentine Primera Division in August last year, which River Plate won 2-0.
Velez Sarsfield form guide (all competitions): D-W-L-L-W.
River Plate form guide (all competitions): W-W-L-D-D.
Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate Team News
Velez Sarsfield
Lautaro Giannetti is a long-term absentee with a cruciate ligament rupture. Diego Godin signed for the club last week. but his involvement remains doubtful, as he's nursing an injury.
Injured: Lautaro Giannetti.
Doubtful: Diego Godin.
Suspended: None.
Unavailable: None.
River Plate
Enzo Fernandez, who is set to join Benfica ahead of the 2022-23 season, has been named in the squad and is expected to play both legs of the Round of 16 fixture before departing.
Milton Casco and Matias Suarez face late fitness tests. Robert Rojas, a long-term absentee with a broken leg, has been named in the squad but is doubtful to feature. Nicolas de la Cruz suffered a knock against Lanus but is expected to feature in the starting XI.
Injured: None.
Doubtful: Milton Casco, Matias Suarez, Robert Rojas.
Suspended: None.
Unavailable: None.
Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate Predicted XIs
Velez Sarsfield (4-3-3): Lucas Hoyos (GK); Francisco Ortega, Valentin Gomez, Matias de los Santos, Tomas Guidara; Maximo Perrone, Nicolas Garayalde; Luca Orellano, Joel Sonora, Lucas Janson; Lucas Pratto.
River Plate (4-4-2): Franco Armani (GK); Emanuel Mammana, Paulo Diaz, David Martinez, Elías Gomez; Enzo Perez, Enzo Fernandez; Nicolas De La Cruz, Jose Paradela; Braian Romero, Julian Alvarez.
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Velez Sarsfield vs River Plate Prediction
Velez have struggled to get going recently, scoring just four times in their last five games while conceding four times. Los Millonarios, meanwhile, are in better form at the moment, scoring seven times and conceding three goals in their last five outings.
Both teams have announced strong squads for the game. While it could be a close game, River Plate should eke out a narrow win.
Prediction: Velez Sarsfield 1-2 River Plate.
