Preview: Santa Fe vs Caracas - prediction, team news, lineups

For the first time since 2010, Santa Fe and Caracas will face each other at the Copa Sudamericana, with the first leg of their knockout round clash taking place at Estadio El Campin in Bogota on Thursday.

The Colombians were relegated into this competition after finishing third in their Copa Libertadores group, while Caracas got here via their second place standing in Group E of this tournament.

Match preview

After another early exit from the Libertadores, Santa Fe will hope this competition can be a redemption story for them this time around.

They have not made it beyond the group stage of the Libertadores in five of their last six appearances but have achieved much more success at the Sudamericana.

Santa Fe have made it to the last 16 or further in five of their last six appearances at the Sudamericana, lifting the trophy in 2015.

Pablo Repetto’s team head into this contest unbeaten in seven of their last eight matches played across all competitions.

Meanwhile, they have points in their last seven competitive home fixtures, emerging victorious in two of those last three outings.

Los Cardenales are undefeated against Caracas in this competition, coming from behind to beat them 2-1 in the Colombian capital in 2010.

After a series of solid performances in the group stage of this tournament, Caracas might be feeling optimistic about making a longer run in this competition.

Fernando Aristeguieta’s men earned points in five of their six group fixtures, with this club seeking their first appearance in the round of 16 of this tournament since 2019.

The Venezuelans have points in six of their last seven matches played across all competitions but lost their last group game of the Sudamericana, 3-1 at home to Botafogo.

That said, they did not lose a group match in this tournament away from home, scoring six of their nine goals outside of Caracas.

At the tournament this season, they have drawn first blood in all but one of their encounters but failed to win on three of those occasions.

Los Rojos del Avila have never beaten a Colombian team in the Sudamericana, drawing Santa Fe 0-0 in Venezuela in 2010.

Santa Fe form (all competitions):

Caracas Copa Sudamericana form:

Caracas form (all competitions):

Team News

The biggest injury concern for Santa Fe is Juan Sebastian Quintero, who hurt his ACL in May and is unlikely to be available for the Colombians on Thursday.

Hugo Rodallega led the way for them in the Libertadores group stage, with the skipper finding the back of the net twice.

Over at Caracas, Lucciano Fabrissio Reinoso Torin is a question mark for this encounter as the Venezuelan striker is dealing with some stomach problems.

Wilfred Correa netted three times for them in the group stage to lead the way, while an own goal from Christopher Ramos was all they could manage in that defeat to Botafogo

Santa Fe possible starting lineup:

Mosquera; Puerta, Olivera, Moreno, Angulo; D. Torres, J. Torres; Obrian, Bustos, Zapata; Rodallega

Caracas possible starting lineup:

Benitez; Fereira, Quintero, Mago, Yendis; Larotonda, Guidino; Correa, Covea, Marquez; Fernandez