- Cerro Porteño and Palmeiras will decide in Asunción who advances to the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-finals following a 1-1 draw in the first leg.
- With Ariel Holan in charge, the Paraguayan side remain unbeaten against the reigning runners-up in their three meetings in this edition (two draws and one win).
The Argentine manager, who already knows what it takes to win a South American title, will be looking to become the man who knocks out the Brazilian side.
When Ariel Holan took over as Cerro Porteño's new manager last April, the challenge was a daunting one: navigating a difficult CONMEBOL Libertadores group featuring Palmeiras, the current runners-up; Junior, champions of Colombian football in 2025; and Sporting Cristal.
The Argentine coach, who spent more than 20 years managing field hockey teams before taking his first job in football as a head coach in 2015 — having previously worked as Jorge Burruchaga's assistant at Arsenal, Estudiantes and Independiente — quickly put his stamp on the 'Ciclón de Barrio Obrero'.
His move into football and first taste of international success
Born in Lomas de Zamora, Holan sparked a revolution in his first spell in charge of Defensa y Justicia in 2015. His methods, underpinned by innovation and technology, allowed him to stand out from his fellow coaches. An impressive 18 months at the Varela-based club earned him a move to Independiente, the 'Rey de Copas', where he would prove the value of his approach through results. In 2017, with the Avellaneda side, he won the CONMEBOL Sudamericana in a memorable campaign: in the knockout stages, they saw off Atlético Tucumán, Paraguay's Nacional and Libertad before lifting the trophy against Flamengo in the final at the Maracanã. A year later, he guided the club to the CONMEBOL Libertadores quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by River Plate, who would go on to win the competition.
After spells with U. Católica, Santos, León, Barcelona of Ecuador and Rosario Central, it was time for Holan to take charge of Cerro Porteño.
The group-stage campaign was outstanding: Cerro Porteño finished top of the group ahead of Palmeiras, scored six goals and conceded just two. Against the Brazilian side, who will be their next opponents in the Round of 16 of the Eternal Glory, they showcased the aggression and intensity that have become hallmarks of Holan's teams. They drew 1-1 in the first meeting in Asunción before winning 1-0 in São Paulo, with Pablo Vegetti scoring the decisive goal. He is one of their main attacking threats alongside Paraguayan forward Cecilio Domínguez, with whom he shared a squad at Independiente.
Abel Ferreira's side had also shared a group with the 'Azulgrana' in the 2025 edition: the Paraguayans suffered two defeats, losing 1-0 away from home and 2-0 on home soil, before being knocked out in the Round of 16 by Estudiantes de La Plata.
Holan has given the Paraguayan side plenty of reasons to dream of reaching the next round. Their best recent run came in 2011, when they reached the semi-finals before losing to Neymar's Santos. High pressing, quick regains of possession after losing the ball and defensive solidity have been the common denominators of Cerro Porteño's first seven international matches under the Argentine manager.
With that approach, they secured a valuable and dramatic 1-1 draw in the first leg away at the Allianz Parque, keeping the 'Barrio Obrero' dream alive. The tie will be decided on Wednesday 19th at the La Nueva Olla Stadium in Asunción, at 7pm local time.
