CONMEBOL Recopa | Final | 2nd Leg

Feb 28, 2025 at 12.30am UK

Estadio Nilton Santos

Botafogo vs Racing Club

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Match preview

After a difficult first leg, Botafogo have a tough task ahead of them in their quest to win the Recopa Sudamericana for the first time in the club's history.

Claudio Cacapa's side managed just one shot on target over 90 minutes last week, leaving them in a hole heading into this must-win clash.

Fogo have struggled in front of goal this month, failing to find the net in their last two games in all competitions and finding the net in just one of their last five.

Meanwhile, they have lost their only two home games in February, with their last win at the Estadio Nilton Santos coming on the fifth day of the Carioca Serie A campaign last month, a 2-0 victory over Bangu.

The Brazilians have never come from behind to win a two-legged tie after losing the opener since the second round of the 2018 Copa Sudamericana, when they beat Paraguay's Nacional 2-0 after losing the first leg 2-1.

O Glorioso have never lost a competitive home game to a team from Argentina, with their last triumph over a Primera Division side coming in the first leg of their 2019 Copa Sudamericana first-round tie against Defensa y Justicia (1-0).

Racing are 90 minutes away from glory in the Copa Sudamericana, having scored once in each half in last Thursday's opener.

That ended a two-match losing streak in which they had conceded four goals in the Argentine Primera Division.

Gustavo Costas will be cautiously optimistic ahead of this crucial clash, having seen his side lose their last two away games without conceding a single goal, including a 2-0 defeat at Estudiantes in early February.

Since winning their opening two games of the 2025 Argentine Primera Division season, El Primer Grande have lost three of their last five competitive matches, all against clubs from Argentina.

They have not lost a tie after winning the first leg since the quarter-finals of the 2020 Copa Libertadores, where they lost 2-0 to Boca Juniors after winning the first leg 1-0.

Their last away win against a Brazilian side came in the group stage of the 2022 Copa Sudamericana, when they came from behind to beat Cuiaba 2-1.

Recent Performance

Botafogo CONMEBOL Recopa form:L

Botafogo form (all competitions):WWWWLL

Racing Club CONMEBOL Recopa form:W

Racing Club form (all competitions):WLWLLW

Team News

There are no injury concerns for Botafogo, although they will be without Cuiabano, who received a straight red card three minutes from time last week.

Nathan Fernandes has yet to feature since signing from Gremio in mid-February, while Santiago Rodriguez arrived from Major League Soccer side New York City FC on Sunday.

Costas named four new faces in the Racing squad for the first leg, all of whom did not start the previous domestic fixture against Argentinos Juniors, with Santiago Quiros, Bruno Zuculini, Luciano Vietto and Adrian Martinez all coming into the side.

Vietto and Martinez both found the back of the net in the first leg, while goalkeeper Gabriel Arias only had to make one save to keep a clean sheet.

Possible starting lineup

Botafogo possible starting lineup:

John; Vitinho, Danilo, Barboza, Telles; Newton, Kaue, Freitas; Savarino, Jesus, Kayke

Racing Club possible starting lineup:

Arias; Di Cesare, Colombo, Quiros; Martirena, Nardoni, Barrios, Rojas; Vietto, A. Martinez, Salas