On Tuesday, April 9, the CONMEBOL Libertadores resumes with Grêmio hosting the Chilean runner-up Huachipato for Group C at 6:00 p.m. at the Arena do Grêmio in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
In the premiere, the ‘Tricolor Gaúcho’ traveled with an alternative team to the altitude of La Paz and lost to The Strongest, while the steel players did not go beyond a draw in a hard-fought duel against Estudiantes de La Plata in Talcahuano.
The odds in the betting market indicate a favorable result for Grêmio and here at Goal.com we explain why and tell you how both teams arrive for the second round of the Libertadores group stage.
Beta It is our preference for an agency or betting house because of its up-to-the-minute odds and because it leads, generates respect and successes in the market.
- Local guild pays 1.30 per win
- The tie at 5.30 in Beta
- Visiting Huachipato pays 10.75 to winner
- Winner at the end of the first half, 1.75 in favor of the local favorite, 2.50 if they remain equal and for Huachipato at 8.50 in Beta
- Goals in the match; more than 2.5 to 1.65 and less to 2.27
- Both teams to score goals; Yes to 2.05 and No to 1.72 in Beta
- The odds to bet on the first team to score is 1.29 for Grêmio
- No goals at 11.00 and Huachipato scored the first goal at 4.10 in Beta
All odds courtesy of Betano, correct at time of publication and subject to change.
For the seventh year in a row, Gremio was crowned state champion of the Gaúcho championship, defeating Juventude.
The seven-time championship after 56 years marks supremacy in the south of Brazil. The title gave the team a good taste for the season, which is still in its first months.
Now that the Gauchão has finished, Grêmio focuses its attention on the Libertadores, which will play this Tuesday against Huachipato of Chile, as well as the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil.
Local guild pays 1.30 per win
One of the most notable aspects of winning a new state championship was its offensive power. Grêmio was the best offensive team in the league, with 33 goals in 16 games, an average of more than two per game. The two top scorers were tricolor: Diego Costa and Cristaldo, with six goals each. The center forward, by the way, reached the mark in only six games played.
The year ended, another began, but Grêmio’s defensive problems continued to be the subject of debate. To a certain extent, given that the team was champion. At the beginning of the championship, he went four games without conceding a goal, but then he let goals slip away again. Just a warning, given recent history, because the ultimate goal of being champions has already been achieved.
Grêmio the first team to score at 1.29
The Gauchão finished with some rising names in the Grêmio. The Paraguayan Mathias Villasanti and Franco Cristaldo already stood out last year and have passed away, while Gustavo Nunes and Diego Costa have appeared now.
The young man was promoted after Copinha and quickly established himself in the team. The 35-year-old veteran, for his part, arrived under suspicion, but dispelled the criticism with goals 6 goals in 6 games. The Venezuelan selected Yeferson Soteldo, despite his injury, was also positive, adding seven games.
Other players, however, stood out negatively. Especially the midfielder Nathan and the forward João Pedro Galvão, constant target of the fans. Even the goalkeepers were once again on alert.
Argentine Agustín Marchesín was signed to be the starting goalkeeper, but suffered an injury and made way for Caíque. Neither goalkeeper is unanimous and the competition for the position is likely to be very open.
Grêmio bets on more than 2.5 goals at 1.65
Although it may sound incredible, the team led today by Diego Costa, Cristian ‘Kichan’ Pavón and Franco Cristaldo has been winning the tournament since 2018 and was just two championships away from equaling the 45 that Internacional de Porto Alegre has in Rio Grande do Sul.
João Pedro Galvão has an average of 0.19 xG while in the recently played Championship Gaúcho he played 16 games scoring 33 goals and conceding 13 with an average of 2.1 goals per game. For the Libertadores, a tighter figure is expected.
Renato Gaúcho, the coach, said right after the gaúcho title that he needed to strengthen himself. The tight schedule, with three competitions ahead, demands a stronger squad. Today’s squad suggests that the defense requires reinforcements, since Bruno Uvini has said goodbye and Geromel, in principle, only has a contract until the middle of the year.
The contracts of midfielder Lucas Besozzi and Galvão also expire soon and they are unlikely to renew. The attack is another sector that is missing according to the coach, among other things due to André Henrique’s injury. A center forward seems to be another of the market’s objectives in the near future.
Visiting Huachipato pays 10.75 to winner
For the Chilean runner-up, Huachipato travels to Porto Alegre with fresh legs. He did not play last weekend because the duel with Palestino was suspended. The impossibility of scheduling the fixture against the Arabs, who for their part lost to Bolívar on Thursday, made it impossible for one of the two teams to play with the limited rest time due to regulations of the governing body, CONMEBOL.
Paraguayan Cris Martínez was key in the draw against Estudiantes de La Plata at the CAP Stadium last week, scoring with a powerful header with nine minutes left in the match. The steelmakers respect their locality.
The trip to Porto Alegre, although it was ten years ago, marks a very pleasant memory for the team from the eighth region in Brazilian lands. The steel team competed in that edition of the Libertadores in 2013 led by Jorge Pellicer as the new champion of Chilean soccer and defeated Gremio led by Wanderlei Luxemburgo at that time by 2 to 1 with goals from Federico Falcone and Braian Rodríguez.
On that occasion, Huachipato recorded its first victory as a visitor for the highest continental event. A team with character and demonstrated solvency and good play. Something that his coach Javier Sanguinetti will undoubtedly seek to repeat against all odds.
With a total of 5 goals in their last five games, the Talcahuano team has not shown much power up front like its Brazilian rival.
Reviewing the history between both teams, Huachipato’s historic triumph in Porto Alegre in 2014 stands out among the 5 previous duels. Gremio also tied the last head-to-head duel in Talcahuano by 1 to 1 and thus managed to qualify for the next phase of that year’s CONMEBOL Libertadores.
The ‘Tricolor Gaúcho’ has 3 victories and in good form, which could add and influence their performance this Tuesday.
Prediction: Grêmio 2 – Huachipato 0