Libertad vs UCV – News and Probable Lineups

Club Libertad will host UCV at La Huerta Stadium in Asuncion for their sixth and final Group H match in the Copa Libertadores this Wednesday.

There are no competitive stakes for either side, as the home team is already confirmed to finish at the bottom of the group, while the visitors have secured the third position.

Match overview

Club Libertad’s 2026 Copa Libertadores campaign has been painfully disappointing, as they are the only team out of 32 that has lost all five of their matches in the group stage, allowing 12 goals during this period.

A third early exit from the group stage in just four years is now certain for the Cabbage Growers, who faced a heavy 4-1 loss away to Independiente del Valle last week on matchday five.

Under head coach Juan Samudio, who took the helm in late April, the team has recorded three wins, one draw, and four losses in his first eight matches, most recently succumbing to a 2-1 defeat away against Nacional in the Paraguayan Primera Division on Sunday.

Currently, the 26-time champions are positioned sixth in the table at the season’s midpoint, trailing Nacional in second place by seven points and a staggering 18 points behind leaders Olympia.

Winning the coveted Paraguayan trophy now seems unlikely, leading them to shift focus towards salvaging their dignity on the continental stage as they prepare for their final group match against UCV.

Libertad will enter Wednesday’s contest without a victory in their last three encounters, while UCV is aiming to snap a four-match winless streak across all competitions, which includes a 4-0 defeat against Rosario Central in the previous Copa Libertadores match.

Daniel Sasso’s squad can no longer achieve a top-two finish in Group H, as they sit four points behind Independiente del Valle with just one match to go, meaning they are set for third place and participation in the Copa Sudamericana later this year.

This, however, marks a successful run for UCV, who are competing in a major continental tournament for the first time in their 76-year existence after securing the Venezuelan Primera Division and Copa Venezuela double in 2025.

As they head into their encounter with Libertad, the Tricolor aim to rebound from a disappointing 2-1 league loss to Academia Puerto Cabello on Sunday, having lost a one-goal advantage by conceding two goals in stoppage time.

Team News

Club Libertad continues to be without centre-back Alexis Duarte and winger Hugo Fernandez, both of whom are recovering from knee ligament injuries.

If the hosts aim to find the net on Wednesday, they will depend on their star player Lorenzo Melgarejo, who leads the team with 17 goals across all competitions, significantly ahead of any of his teammates.

Players like Federico Carrizo, Lucas Sanabria, Nestor Gimenez, and Robert Rojas may be recalled to the starting XI, while youngsters such as Pedro Villalba, Joaquin Bogarin, and Rodrigo Acuna could also get the chance to play in this match with no stakes involved.

On the UCV side, there are no new injuries to report, and Sasso will need to decide whether to field a strong lineup or rest certain players in anticipation of their upcoming league match against Portuguesa on Saturday.

Vicente Rodriguez, Alexander Gonzalez, and Adrian Martinez will be serving domestic bans this weekend, meaning they might start against Libertad, with Rodriguez and Gonzalez positioned in midfield and Martinez playing as a centre-back.

Club Libertad probable starting XI:

Gonzalez; Rojas, Fernandez, Viera, Gimenez; Campuzano, Sanabria; Fernandez, Carrizo, Fretes; Melgarejo

UCV probable starting XI:

Morales; Ruiz, Martinez, Velasquez, Cumana; Gonzalez, Germeno, Rodriguez; Zapata, Sarli, Granko

While both teams are only competing for pride on Wednesday, they are also eager to break their winless streaks as they look to regain momentum in their respective seasons. UCV may choose to shuffle their squad, but they still have enough quality to penetrate Club Libertad’s vulnerable defense on their way to a potential victory.