Oorspronkelijk geplaatst door
MAGICA
Hoop als Argentijns voetballiefhebber toch op Estudiantes,maar ik geef Cruzeiro de meeste kans om de Copa binnen te halen.
Copa Libertadores Final
Preview: Cruzeiro – Estudiantes
The Fox are well aware that if they stick to their game plan they will have great possibilities of becoming South American champions for the third time...
Kick Off: Wednesday 15 June, 2009, 21:50 local time, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Cruzeiro picked up a valuable goalless draw in La Plata last week, and come into the championship decider as the favourites to lift the title. The Belo Horizonte giants have a great opportunity to win the Copa Libertadores for the third time, especially because they will be backed by more than 70,000 fans at the Mineirao stadium. Cruzeiro, winners of the tournament in 1976 and 1997, have won all eight of their home matches in the tournament, scoring thirteen goals and only conceding two. One of the wins was a 3-0 thumping of Estudiantes during the group phase.
The Raposa come into the clash after being thrashed 3-0 by arch-rivals Atletico Mineiro in the Brazilian Championship on the weekend. Even though they fielded a reserve team for the match to keep their players fresh for the Copa Libertadores final, Atletico regained league leadership, something that Cruzeiro didn't want. Nevertheless, Cruzeiro are focused on their encounter with Estudiantes, and will try to play to the best of their abilities in order to claim the title.
Since the beginning of the tournament Cruzeiro have been one of the main contenders to win the title, because of the depth of their squad and the quality of their standout players. Kleber, Ramires and Wellington Paulista have been in outstanding form throughout the tournament, as has been goalkeeper Fabio, who made several fine stops to rescue his side a draw in La Plata last week. Cruzeiro will be hoping to take full advantage of the size of the field of the Mineiro stadium, and the speed and the playing style of the team will surely threaten Estudiantes at all moments.
The Time Is Now...Veron
Estudiantes have waited 39 years to win another international title, and after being losing finalists of the Copa Sudamericana last year they will be desperate to win the Copa Libertadores, South America's biggest club competition. Los Pincharratas failed to break down Cruzeiro in La Plata last week and had to settle for a frustrating goalless draw. But Estudiantes have a great record when playing away from home in the tournament, after having beaten both Nacional and Defensor Sporting in Montevideo, and Libertad in Asuncion in the knock-out matches.
Despite this, over the years Estudiantes have struggled when playing on Brazilian soil. Estudiantes have never won in Brazil, with five defeats in the Copa Libertadores. Claiming a victory seems to be a much too difficult task for Alejandro Sabella's team, after having already been thrashed at the Mineirao stadium by Cruzeiro. History states that Estudiantes have lost in Brazil against Palmeiras, Gremio, Goias, Sao Paulo and Cruzeiro in the tournament. But inspired by the leadership skills of Juan Sebastian Veron, Estudiantes will be hoping to break the negative statistic, in what will be one of the most important matches of their entire history.
The match has particular meaning for Veron. Since returning to his beloved Estudiantes after ten years in Europe in 2006, he has transformed the club into one of the finest of South America. He won the Argentine championship with the club in his first season back, and last year came close to ending their long wait for an international title when they were losing finalists of the Copa Sudamericana. But Veron's main objective was always to help the side win the Copa Libertadores, and this could well be his last opportunity to do this. Veron will play his heart out during the encounter, and as was the case last week, he could again leave the field covered in blood.
TEAM NEWS
Cruzeiro
The Brazilians count with a full squad, and the only change compared to the first leg in La Plata is that Thiago Heleno is likely to return to the side in the place of Anderson. Thiago Heleno has recovered in time from an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's goalless draw.
Possible Starting XI: Fabio, Jonathan, Thiago Heleno, Leonardo Silva, Gerson Magrao, Henrique, Marquinhos Parana, Ramires, Wagner, Kleber and Wellington Paulista.
Estudiantes
Estudiantes boss Alejandro Sabella will use an identical team to the one that were held in La Plata. With no injury concerns, nor any tactical changes, Sabella will give his troops another opportunity. If things don't go to plan however, the likes of Juan Manuel Salgueiro and Diego Galvan could be introduced in the second half.
Possible Starting XI: Mariano Andujar, Cristian Cellay, Rolando Schiavi, Leandro Desabato, German Re, Enzo Perez, Rodrigo Brana, Juan Sebastian Veron, Leandro Benitez, Gaston Fernandez and Mauro Boselli.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Cruzeiro - Kleber
Kleber has been one of Cruzeiro's most important players of the tournament, and at times during the first leg his skills and determination were too much to handle for the Estudiantes defence. But Kleber missed an incredible opportunity to hand Cruzeiro the win when he shot wide with the goal at his mercy. At the Mineirao Kleber will have even more time to showcase his skills, and if he isn't closed down in time he could cause enormous difficulties for the slow Estudiantes defence.
Estudiantes - Juan Sebastian Veron
Veron has managed to transform Estudiantes into one of the strongest teams of the continent since returning from the European scene. The South American Footballer of the Year has been in outstanding form so far in the tournament, and will be hoping to inspire Estudiantes to an unlikely victory in Belo Horizonte. Last week he opened up play with his switching of the ball and penetrating passes, and if he is able to produce this kind of football again Estudiantes will give Cruzeiro plenty of problems.
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