Palmeiras wrap up preparations for Libertadores decider v Cerro Porteño

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Nosso Palestra

·18 August 2026

Palmeiras wrap up preparations for Libertadores decider v Cerro Porteño

Palmeiras wrapped up preparations this Tuesday (18), at the Football Academy, for the decisive clash against Cerro Porteño-PAR in the second leg of the CONMEBOL Libertadores round of 16. The teams face each other this Wednesday (19) at 7pm at Estadio Nueva Olla in Asunción, Paraguay. In the first leg, played at Nubank Parque, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

This morning’s session featured tactical work and the final adjustments for the decider. Before taking the field, the squad watched a video prepared by the coaching staff. The players then took part in a training session under the guidance of head coach Abel Ferreira, who used the session to reinforce key aspects of the game plan.

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The group also worked on set pieces, both offensive and defensive, in one of the final sessions before traveling to Paraguay.

One of the updates was right-back Khellven, who once again trained fully with the rest of the squad and gives Abel Ferreira more options for the match. Forward Paulinho, meanwhile, remains apart from the group and continues recovering from a right thigh injury under the supervision of the Health and Performance Department.

Barboza speaks!

A Libertadores champion in 2024, center-back Alexander Barboza emphasized the need for Palmeiras to put into practice against Cerro everything that was worked on during preparation. The defender also anticipated a difficult atmosphere in Asunción.

We need to take onto the field tomorrow what we trained. That way, things will happen the way we want. We worked for this and, yes, it will be hostile ground there. We know Cerro is also a big club, with a lot of supporters, and they will fight too. They really want to win as well, but our desire has to be even greater.

Barboza also reinforced his confidence in the work the squad puts in every day and stressed the importance of the group’s unity in getting through the current moment.

The only way I know to improve, to make things happen, is to work. We work very hard here to improve. In the last few matches, the results were not what we wanted, but football is like that. We have to know how to get through these moments too. What matters is unity on and off the field. We players have made that very clear. We are a tight-knit group, fully committed to the work. We want to finish first in the league, win the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil. This club’s objective is to win everything. So that is the direction we are following.

After the draw in the first match, Palmeiras need to win in regulation time to secure qualification for the quarter-finals. Another draw will send the decision to penalties.

The clash could also mark another historic chapter for the club in the continental competition. The only team to have reached the knockout stage in each of the last ten editions of the Libertadores, Palmeiras are playing in the round of 16 for the 19th time in their history, a record among Brazilian clubs.

In addition, Verdão are aiming to reach the quarter-finals for the 14th time. If they qualify, they will become the Brazilian club with the most appearances among the competition’s final eight, moving ahead of São Paulo, with whom they currently share the record.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.