2025 Copa Libertadores Knockouts: What Should Fans Expect?
by Sam Cox | by Tyler Doty
The Copa Libertadores resumes this week with the Round of 16. Six Brazilian teams and four Argentinian clubs are represented in the last 16 of South America’s premier club competition.
In Libertad and Cerro Porteño, Paraguay is the only other nation with multiple representatives in the next phase of the competition.
Brazil have won all six Copa Libertadores since the single-match format was introduced for the 2019 addition. It’s no surprise Brazil is the most strongly represented nation as the last 16 kicks off this week, but will their dominance continue? Or could the final in Lima see a couple of surprising teams involved?
Round of 16 Ties
- Atlético Nacional vs São Paulo
- Botafogo vs LDU Quito
- Universitario vs Palmeiras
- Libertad vs River Plate
- Fortaleza vs Vélez Sarsfield
- Peñarol vs Racing
- Flamengo vs Internacional
- Cerro Porteño vs Estudiantes
Contintental Experience is Key
The meeting of Peñarol and Racing is a duel of two teams coming off strong seasons in continental competition. Peñarol shocked Flamengo in the last eight in 2024 before falling to Botafogo in the semis and will be looking to replicate that deep run this time around.
Racing, the 2024 winners of the Copa Sudamericana, have only won two of their last five matches in all competitions after drawing with Boca Juniors last time out. They generated the third-most expected goals during the first phase of the Libertadores and had the third-best defensive record behind Palmeiras and River Plate.
Peñarol had less impressive underlying numbers than Racing, but they come into this match on a five-game unbeaten run. Their success in last season’s knockout rounds will need to be called upon if they are to get past Racing and return to the semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Cerro Porteño, Vélez Sarsfield, and Estudiantes are making their first Libertadores knockout appearance since 2022. Universitario haven’t made it past the group stage since 2010.
Impact Of Domestic Form
Some teams find continental competition a welcome distraction from a disappointing domestic season. Others either ride a wave of good form in the Libertadores or are unable to take their minds away from the string of disappointing league results.
Flamengo, who won this competition three years ago, are arguably the form side in South America at the moment. They are sitting pretty atop the Brasileirão with 31 goals scored and seven conceded. Their defense was solid in the group stage of the Libertadores, even if their attack only ranked around middle of the pack.
They are facing an Internacional outfit that will be happy to think about anything other than their domestic woes. A win over Bragantino at the weekend ended a four-match winless streak and moved the Reds up to 11th in the table.
Palmeiras, the standout performers in the group stage, have stuttered a bit domestically. They were knocked out of the Copa do Brasil by Corinthians and drew away to Vitoria to leave them four points behind Flamengo.
São Paulo, Botafogo, and Fortaleza have made managerial changes in recent months amid poor domestic form. Botafogo moved on from Renato Paiva despite defeating PSG in the Club World Cup, while Hernán Crespo has been brought in by São Paulo and immediately led the club to a run of four consecutive league wins.
Players To Watch
Three players are tied for the most goals in the competition. Alan Patrick of Internacional is the only player in that triumvirate who is still in the competition, and the former Shakhtar Donetsk forward is coming off a goal at the weekend.
Alex Telles and Lucas Moura are set to represent Botafogo and São Paulo, respectively, while former Chelsea midfielder Oscar is ruled out through injury.
Real Madrid-bound Franco Mastantuono might only be a teenager, but he’s an integral player for River Plate. He started all three Club World Cup matches and scored two goals in the Libertadores group stage.
Getting more league minutes after impressing in the Under-20 Libertadores, Luighi could have a role to play for Palmeiras. There are various other big names and wonderkids littered across the round of 16.
Previous Copa Libertadores Winners
- 2024 – Botafogo
- 2023 – Fluminense
- 2022 – Flamengo
- 2021 – Palmeiras
- 2020 – Palmeiras
- 2019 – Flamengo
- 2018 – River Plate
- 2017 – Gremio
- 2016 - Atlético Nacional
- 2015 – River Plate
