Eliminated Libertad Hosts UCV FC in Final Copa Libertadores Match

Paraguayan football club Libertad faces a final, albeit inconsequential, Copa Libertadores fixture as they host Venezuela's UCV FC. Having already been eliminated from the tournament with zero points in Group H, Libertad's match against UCV is a formality for the Paraguayan side.

For UCV FC, however, the game holds significant importance. The Venezuelan team currently sits third in the group with six points. A draw or a victory against Libertad would solidify their third-place finish, guaranteeing them a spot in the Copa Sudamericana playoffs, a secondary continental competition.

Libertad's campaign in the Copa Libertadores has been dismal, marked by five losses and a mere eight goals conceded. Their most recent outing saw them heavily defeated 4-1 by Independiente del Valle. The team will also debut Nelson Haedo Valdez as their new first-division coach, hoping he can inspire their first win of the tournament.

UCV FC, the reigning Venezuelan league champions, secured their third-place position after a 4-0 loss to Rosario Central in their previous match. The team, managed by Daniel Sasso, relies on attackers Juan Camilo Zapata, Juan Cuesta, and Jovanny Bolívar. Despite losing the lead in their domestic league, UCV will aim to end their Libertadores run on a positive note.

The Copa Libertadores format allows third-placed teams from the group stage to enter a playoff round against the second-placed teams in the Copa Sudamericana. The winners of these playoffs advance to the round of 16 in the Copa Sudamericana.