Preview: Club Libertad vs UCV - prediction, team news, lineups

Club Libertad welcome UCV to La Huerta Stadium in Asuncion for their sixth and final Group H fixture in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.

There are zero sporting consequences on the line for both team, as they hosts are guaranteed to finish rock bottom of the group while the visitors have secured third spot.

Match preview

Club Libertad have endured a bitterly disappointing 2026 Copa Libertadores campaign, as they are the only team in the 32-team tournament who has lost all five of their group-stage matches, conceding 12 goals in the process.

A third group-stage elimination in four years is already guaranteed for the Cabbage Growers, who suffered a heavy 4-1 away defeat to Independiente del Valle on matchday five last week.

Head coach Juan Samudio has won three, drawn one and lost four of his first eight matches in charge since replacing Francisco Arce at the end of April, most recently losing 2-1 away against Nacional in the Paraguayan Primera Division on Sunday.

The 26-time top-flight champions currently sit sixth in the table at the halfway stage in the season, seven points behind Nacional in second and a whopping 18 points adrift of leaders Olympia.

Lifting the converted Paraguayan prize therefore seems a long shot, and their focus must now shift to restoring pride on the continental stage as they prepare for their final group match against UCV.

While Libertad head into Wednesday’s contest without a win in their last three games, UCV are seeking to end a four-match winless streak in all competition, which includes a 4-0 thumping by Rosario Central on matchday five in the Copa Libertadores.

Daniel Sasso’s side are now unable to secure a top-two finish in Group H, as they sit four points behind Independiente del Valle with only one game remaining, so they must settle for third place and Copa Sudamericana football later in the year.

This still represents a successful campaign for UCV, who are competing in a major continental competition for the first time in their 76-year history after winning the Venezuelan Primera Division and Copa Venezuela double in 2025.

Heading into their midweek clash with Libertad, the Tricolor are hoping to bounce back from a painful 2-1 league defeat away against Academia Puerto Cabello on Sunday, letting a one-goal lead slip by conceding two stoppage-time goals.

Club Libertad Copa Libertadores form:

Club Libertad form (all competitions):

UCV Copa Libertadores form:

UCV form (all competitions):

Team News

Club Libertad centre-back Alexis Duarte and winger Hugo Fernandez both remain long-term absentees as they continue to recover from knee ligament tears.

If the hosts wish to make the net ripple on Wednesday, they will need to rely on their prolific talisman Lorenzo Melgarejo who has scored a team-high 17 goals in all competitions, at least 13 more than any of his teammates.

Federico Carrizo, Lucas Sanabria, Nestor Gimenez and Robert Rojas could all be recalled to the first XI, while teenagers including Pedro Villalba, Joaquin Bogarin and Rodrigo Acuna may also be given a run-out in this dead-rubber fixture.

As for UCV, they have no fresh injuries to report, and Sasso will weigh up whether to field a strong side or rest players with one eye on their next league fixture against Portuguesa on Saturday.

Vicente Rodriguez, Alexander Gonzalez and Adrian Martinez will all be serving a domestic ban at the weekend, so they could be handed starts against Libertad, with the former two beginning in the midfield and the latter at centre-back.

Club Libertad possible starting lineup:

Gonzalez; Rojas, Fernandez, Viera, Gimenez; Campuzano, Sanabria; Fernandez, Carrizo, Fretes; Melgarejo

UCV possible starting lineup:

Morales; Ruiz, Martinez, Velasquez, Cumana; Gonzalez, Cermeno, Rodriguez; Zapata, Sarli, Granko

We say: Club Libertad 0-2 UCV

Both teams are merely playing for pride on Wednesday, but they are also keen to end winless runs as they seek to regain momentum in their respective campaigns. UCV may opt to rotate their lineup, but they should still have enough quality to breach Club Libertad’s leaky backline en route to victory.

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