Preview: San Lorenzo vs. Sao Paulo - prediction, team news, lineups

San Lorenzo and Sao Paulo resume their Copa Sudamericana campaign on Thursday evening when they play the first leg of their last-16 tie.

While the visitors' performance in the group phase earned them a spot at this stage, San Lorenzo were required to come through a playoff encounter to extend their stay in the 2023 competition.

Match preview

© Reuters

Sitting down in eighth position in the Brazilian top flight, Sao Paulo have failed to make significant progress on the domestic scene with much work ahead if they are to finish in the top four.

Nevertheless, despite prevailing in just seven of their 17 league matches in 2023, Tricolor Paulista produced close to perfection during the group stages of this competition.

As well as five wins and one draw coming against Tigre, Deportes Tolima and Academia Puerto Cabello, Sao Paulo also scored 13 goals and kept six successive clean sheets.

Dorival Junior's team went a further five games unbeaten in all competitions upon the completion of the round-round phase, yet they are now on a three-match winless streak.

Last time out, they were held to a goalless draw at home to 18th-placed Bahia, further highlighting that they have lost their way in recent weeks.

As for San Lorenzo, they have just completed the Argentine top flight for another year, securing third position despite a poor end to the campaign.

Consecutive defeats were posted against Argentinos Juniors and Tigre, yet they still finished in the bronze-medal position with by far and away the best defensive record in the division.

Such performances did not come in the Copa Sudamericana group stages, with Ruben Dario Insua's side conceding six goals in as many matches as they finished runners-up in Group H on goal difference.

That said, the Saints came through their playoff encounter with Independiente Medellin in efficient fashion, taking the away leg by a 1-0 scoreline before prevailing 2-0 at Estadio Pedro Bidegain.