CS Deportivo Pereira vs Palmeiras Prediction & Betting Tips - Copa Libertadores

Prediction published on 22/08/2023, 09:00  by Devesh Jaganath in Copa Libertadores Predictions

Deportivo Pereira and Palmeiras will do battle in the quarter-final of the Copa Libertadores this Thursday. The winner of the tie will go on to face either Boca Juniors or Racing in the semi-final. This first-leg encounter will be played at Estadio Hernan Ramirez Villegas. After finishing last season’s Clausura in fifth place, the hosts went on to top Group A of the Quadrangular competition. However, this season has been a completely different situation, as they are currently in 14th place after the first six matches. Deportivo Pereira managed their first league win of the season over the weekend, beating Jaguares de Cordoba 3-0 at this venue. That win brought an end to a five-match winless run which included two draws and three losses in the preceding five league matches. In this competition, the hosts finished in second place in Group F, five points behind Boca Juniors. They recorded two wins, two draws, and two losses in their six matches, scoring five and conceding five in that time. Deportivo Pereira are unbeaten at home in four matches in the Copa Libertadores. That includes three consecutive wins leading up to this match, with a solitary draw in their first match in the competition against Colo Colo. Despite their strong home record, the hosts are currently 5/1 outsiders to secure a first-leg lead. 

Meanwhile, Palmeiras are not only the favourite to win this match but to go on to win the entire tournament as well. According to the latest odds, they are priced in the region of 2.9 on the outright win market. The reigning Brazilian Serie A champions were excellent in the group stages of this competition. They secured 15 points from a possible 18, with a record of five wins and one loss. They also managed a 1-0 aggregate win over Atletico Mineiro in the last round. Since then, Palmeiras have won back-to-back league matches, which has kept them in second place in the Serie A. The visitors are currently 11 points behind runaway leaders Botafogo after 20 matches in the season. Palmeiras have been very good in defence of late, keeping clean sheets in each of their last three matches. They have only conceded two goals in their last five matches, and both came in a 2-1 defeat against Fluminense in the league. That was also the only loss they conceded in their last eight matches in all competitions. After losing their first away match in this competition, the visitors have won each of their last three. They also kept clean sheets in each of those three matches. Palmeiras are the clear bookmakers favourite to win this match.