Copa Libertadores 2025 Quarter-Finals Preview: The Battle for South America’s Crown Intensifies | OneFootball

We’re now at the stage of the Copa Libertadores where one good victory could spark dreams of a place in the final on November 29th. Eight sides remain, and the quarter-finals bring together some of South America’s most decorated clubs.

Vélez Sarsfield v Racing

Kicking off the Copa Libertadores 2025 quarter-finals is an all-Argentina affair between Vélez Sarsfield and Racing Club.

The 1994 champions last reached the semi-finals in 2022 before suffering a heavy 6–1 defeat to Flamengo. They produced a professional two-legged display against Fortaleza in the last 16, grinding out a 0–0 draw away from home before killing the tie early in Buenos Aires with two first-half goals in a 2–0 win. Vélez are unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions and have since added more silverware to their cabinet, lifting the Supercopa Argentina with a 2–0 victory over Central Córdoba.

Last year’s Copa Sudamericana champions, Racing Club, are now edging closer to a Copa Libertadores semi-final. Their last-16 tie against Peñarol wasn’t as straightforward as it looked on paper. Racing fell 1–0 in Montevideo before rallying with a 3–1 victory in Avellaneda to seal their spot in the quarters. They’ve been an entertaining side to watch this year, but consistency has been an issue. Since that second-leg win, Racing have suffered two defeats and picked up just one victory, meaning they’ll need to step up their game against a strong Vélez.

The last time Racing found themselves in an all-Argentinian knockout tie, it ended in heartbreak.  A pair of goalless draws against Boca Juniors, followed by a crushing 4–1  penalty shootout loss. This time, Racing will be determined to avoid a similar fate.

Home advantage has played a key role in this fixture, with no away side winning since 2016, when Racing claimed a 3-0 victory. The most recent meeting between the two came in 2024, with Vélez edging a 1-0 win.

River Plate v Palmeiras

Palmeiras and River Plate meet in the Copa Libertadores for the first time since their semi-final clash in 2021, though technically, it was part of the 2020 edition of the competition, which carried over into the new year due to COVID delays. On that occasion, Palmeiras stunned River with a 3-0 victory in Argentina in the first leg, before River responded with a 2-0 win in São Paulo. Palmeiras advanced to the final, where Breno Lopes’ stoppage-time header sealed a dramatic victory over Santos to lift the trophy.

River Plate have been in fantastic form, unbeaten in their last 12 matches across all competitions, and head into this tie brimming with confidence. In the league, they’ve picked up back-to-back wins over Estudiantes and San Martín, setting themselves up nicely for what promises to be a tricky test against Palmeiras.

In the last round, River were made to work hard by Libertad of Paraguay. After a cagey 0-0 draw away, they took the lead in Buenos Aires through Sebastián Driussi, only for former River man Robert Rojas to level for Libertad just before halftime. Things got tougher for River when Giuliano Galoppo was shown a second yellow, leaving them to play much of the second half with ten men. Despite the pressure, River held on to force a penalty shootout, where they showed nerves of steel to win 3-1 and book their place in the quarter-finals.

Palmeiras find themselves not only in a battle for Copa Libertadores glory but also in a heated fight for the Brasileirão title. Like River Plate, they come into this tie on an impressive unbeaten streak — now at seven matches. Their last outing in the Libertadores was far more straightforward than most, as they swept aside Universitario of Peru with a ruthless 4-0 victory in the first leg to effectively put the tie to bed. The return leg was a more controlled affair, ending 0-0 as Abel Ferreira opted for rotation to keep key players fresh for league action.

Palmeiras remain unbeaten in this season’s Copa Libertadores and will be eager to carry that momentum into this clash. Since that dominant Round of 16 win, they’ve added two more victories and a draw in the Derby Paulista against Corinthians. Most recently, they demolished Internacional 4-1 at home.

One of their key men is Vitor Roque, who has already proven himself on this stage — having spearheaded Athletico Paranaense’s run to the 2022 Libertadores final. Palmeiras fans will be hoping he can deliver another big performance in this heavyweight showdown.

LDU Quito v São Paulo

Liga de Quito and São Paulo lock horns for the first time since their dramatic clash in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana. On that occasion, LDU Quito claimed a 2–1 victory in the first leg at home, but São Paulo responded with a 1–0 win in the return fixture to level the tie. Penalties decided the outcome, and LDU held their nerve, scoring all their spot-kicks in a 3–2 shootout victory to progress. LDU went on to lift the Copa Sudamericana, a triumph they’ll be desperate to replicate on the continent’s biggest stage.

Tiago Nunes came back to haunt his former club in the last round of the Copa Libertadores. Botafogo claimed a narrow 1–0 win in the first leg, but the defending champions were completely outplayed in the return match as LDU Quito turned on the style. The Ecuadorian side dominated from start to finish, securing a deserved 2–0 victory to stun the holders. Gabriel Villamil opened the scoring with a superb first-half strike, setting the tone for the night, before Lisandro Alzugaray sealed the result from the penalty spot.

Since securing their spot in the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, LDU Quito’s form has been mixed, recording one win, one draw, and one defeat. Their most recent outing saw them edge Libertad of Ecuador 1-0 away from home, a gritty result that serves as a timely confidence boost ahead of this crucial tie.

São Paulo secured their place in the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Atlético Nacional. The first leg in Colombia ended in a cagey 0-0 draw, leaving everything to play for at the Morumbi. André Silva gave São Paulo the perfect start with an early opener, but Alfredo Morelos levelled from the penalty spot in the 70th minute to force a tense shootout. São Paulo held their nerve, winning 4-3 on penalties to book their spot in the last eight.

Since that triumph, they’ve won two of their last three matches, including a gritty 1-0 victory over reigning 2024 Copa Libertadores and Brasileirão champions Botafogo, a result that adds confidence heading into this clash.

Flamengo v Estudiantes

Estudiantes enter this tie in disappointing form, far from ideal preparation for facing a juggernaut like Flamengo. Since edging past Cerro Porteño in the last round, the Argentine giants have lost twice and won just once, a dip they’ll be desperate to reverse on the continental stage.

Their last-16 clash with Cerro Porteño was a gritty, hard-fought affair. A dramatic 98th-minute penalty from Santiago Ascacíbar secured a 1-0 win in Paraguay, before they held firm in a tense, goalless second leg at home to book their spot in the quarter-finals.

The four-time Copa Libertadores champions last reached this stage in 2022, where they suffered a narrow 1-0 aggregate defeat to Atlético Paranaense. This time, Estudiantes will hope to avoid a similar fate and revive their continental pedigree.

Flamengo arrive at this tie brimming with confidence, unbeaten in their last nine matches across all competitions. In the round of 16, they showcased their dominance over Internacional with a commanding 3–0 aggregate victory.

The first leg in Rio de Janeiro set the tone, Bruno Henrique’s header sealing a narrow 1–0 win. The return fixture in Porto Alegre was played in a hostile atmosphere, but Flamengo remained unshaken, producing a clinical display to secure a 2–0 victory thanks to goals from Giorgian de Arrascaet and Pedro. The performance underlined their continental pedigree, as the Brazilian giants marched comfortably into the last eight.

Since dispatching Internacional, Flamengo’s form has only strengthened. They followed that up with an 8–0 demolition of Vitória, drew 1–1 with Grêmio, and then claimed a 2–0 win over Juventude away from home. Confidence is sky-high, and with their eyes on a fourth Libertadores crown, Flamengo will look to impose their quality once again as they bid for a semi-final berth.