Opinion – Juca Kfouri: Only three of the six Brazilians in Libertadores look right in the quarterfinals

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Three victories and three draws, here’s the balance of the six Brazilians who dispute the Libertadores round of 16.

Palmeiras made it 3-0 at Cerro Porteño, in Paraguay, and will have the game back just to keep the campaign 100%, because it is already qualified to go ahead.

Alviverde rested in the first half, scored three goals in rehearsed plays in the second and tried to save the trio Raphael Veiga, Gustavo Scarpa and Dudu in the last 20 minutes. Ten-point planning.

Flamengo won 1-0 against Tolima, in Colombia, will play for a draw at Maracanã, and it will be enough not to fool around in front of the Nation to advance, although the victory was more due to goalkeeper Santos than due to the merits of the rest of the team.

Athletico Paranaense was the third winner among the Brazilians, but in the Arena da Baixada, only 2-1 against the Paraguayans Libertad, and they will have to sweat blood to hold the advantage. Let’s say that he deserved to win by at least one more goal, and the fact that he didn’t succeed can be costly.

Among those who drew, Atlético Mineiro is the one who has a comfortable situation, because the Ecuadorians of Emelec have already done a lot in the 1 to 1 of Guayaquil and they were still lucky that Hulk had wasted another penalty in the Libertadores.

Corinthians and Fortaleza will need epic performances in Argentina to survive.

The alvinegro was 0-0 with Boca Juniors, in Itaquera, in a game with a new great participation of Cássio and in which Róger Guedes missed a penalty as if he delayed the ball to the Xeneize goalkeeper.

If 1-0 would be little to maintain the advantage at Bombonera, even more so with the team torn apart by the calendar and inadequate signings, leaving Buenos Aires qualified will depend on the improbable overcoming of Corinthians.

Fortaleza, then, will need a miracle to survive in La Plata after being 1-1 at Castelão with Estudiantes, in a balanced game, likely to be won by both teams, although with clearer chances for the worn out Ceará.

Anyway, the usual trio, Palmeiras, Galo and Flamengo, should advance in the continental tournament, with 100% certainty only for the current two-time champion.

The best news for Brazilian pretensions was the poor performance of River Plate at Vélez Sarsfield’s home, where they lost their unbeaten record. He must raise his hands to the heavens for having been only 1 to 0, because 4 to 0 would faithfully mirror the massacre to which he was subjected.

Palmeiras threatens to win the third championship even undefeated if they keep their feet on the ground, as everything indicates they will.

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