Atletico Nacional host Racing Club at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot on Thursday (August 3) in the first leg of the last 16 of the CONMEBOL Libertadores.
The hosts have enjoyed a positive start to their domestic campaign and will hope to continue that momentum on the continental stage. Atletico enjoyed a strong run of results in the group stage of the continental showpiece, picking up ten points in six games to finish behind winners Olimpia.
Atletico are two-time winners of the Libertadores, last winning the continental trophy in 2016.
Racing, meanwhile, had mixed results in the recently concluded Liga Profesional and will hope for better luck in the Libertadores. Like their midweek opponents, they performed well in the group stage of the competition, picking up 13 points and finishing atop their group, two points above Brasileiro Serie A side Flamengo.
Atletico Nacional vs Racing Club Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- This will be their first meeting since the last 16 of the 1989 Copa Libertadores, which Atletico won 3-2 on aggregate en route winning the competition.
- Racing are without a clean sheet in four games across competitions.
- Atletico have kept one clean sheet in the Libertadores this season.
- Six of Racing's nine league defeats last season came on the road.
- Los Verdolagas had the second-best defensive record in the Primera A Apertura, conceding 19 times.
Atletico Nacional vs Racing Club Prediction
Atletico are on a run of back-to-back wins following a five-game winless streak. They have lost just one of their last 11 home games.
Meanwhile, Racing's latest result snapped their ten-game unbeaten streak. They have, however, won just two of their last 11 away games and could lose this one.
Prediction: Atletico 2-1 Racing
Atletico Nacional vs Racing Club Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Atletico
Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Over 2.5 goals (Three of Racing's last four games have produced more than 2.5 goals.)
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes (Both teams have scored in four of Atletico's last six games.)