Fortaleza will have Castelão crowded in front of Cerro Porteño-PAR

With the expectation of a full house, since more than 40,000 tickets were sold in advance, Fortaleza will continue to pursue its dream of playing in the group stage of the Libertadores of America – the biggest continental competition – for the second year in a row. This Thursday, for the first round of the third preliminary phase, the Brazilian team will receive Cerro Porteño, at Arena Castelão, at 7 pm (Brasília time).

This is the last step before the group stage, that is, whoever goes through this knockout stage will be guaranteed. The clashes are round trip and the second game will be played at the opponent’s house, next Thursday (16), at 19h, in Paraguay. In the event of a tie on the aggregate score, the vacancy will be defined on penalties. On the other hand, whoever is eliminated will compete in the Copa Sudamericana.

In the second preliminary phase, the only one that both teams have participated so far, Fortaleza ended up in a goalless draw against Deportivo Maldonado, in the first leg, played in Uruguay. But later, in Castelão, they qualified with a 4-0 defeat. Cerro Porteño, on the other hand, twice beat Curicó Unido-CHI by 1-0. In other competitions, however, the Brazilian team comes from defeat, by 2-0 , in the classic against Ceará, for the Northeast Cup.

Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, finally, will be able to count on the return of winger Yago Pikachu and defender Britez, absent in the two games of the previous phase. All because of suspensions because they were expelled in the last edition of Libertadores, in the round of 16 against Estudiantes.

On the other hand, the medical department continues to count on forwards Moisés and Pedro Rocha, in addition to full-back Lucas Esteves. They are still out treating injuries or post surgery. Despite having Tinga as a starter at right-back, his reserve Dudu is doubtful after leaving in pain in last weekend’s classic.

Cerro Porteño is a very traditional club in South American football, with 41 participations in Libertadores, and arrives full of old acquaintances of Brazilians. The Paraguayan squad has goalkeeper Jean, ex-São Paulo, defender Eduardo Brock, ex-Ceará, defensive midfielder Piris da Mota, ex-Flamengo, as well as forwards, Marcelo Moreno, ex-Cruzeiro and Churín, ex-Grêmio.