Gustavo Gómez, the captain of Palmeiras, recently shared his thoughts ahead of the highly anticipated CONMEBOL Libertadores match against Cerro Porteño on Wednesday, November 7, at the Nueva Olla stadium in Asunción. The match, set to kick off at 21:30 (Brasília time), promises to be a fierce battle, as both teams have a lot at stake.
Gómez acknowledged the pressure on Cerro Porteño, especially following their recent defeat to archrival Olimpia. He stated, “It will be a tough game, as all Libertadores matches are challenging when played away. Cerro comes off a loss in their classic match, so they will certainly fight hard to put on a good performance against us.” He emphasized the importance of the match for Palmeiras, highlighting that a victory would secure their place in the next phase of the competition.
Despite being a key player for Palmeiras since his arrival in 2018, Gómez is not particularly favored by Cerro fans, who have expressed their grievances about him. Many fans recall his deep ties to Libertad, a team he represented successfully for four years and where he won two Paraguayan championships. A notable highlight of his past with Libertad includes a warm message he received during the Paraguay national team training camp just before the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Moreover, fans from Cerro have noted that Gómez has consistently performed well against them, with an impressive record of five wins in matches against the blue-and-red team while scoring two goals and providing an assist. However, there’s a belief among fans that he does not deliver the same level of performance for the Paraguayan national team, where he has played 78 matches but has not been able to lead them to a World Cup.
As for his current form, Gómez has played 16 matches this season for Palmeiras, contributing two goals and one assist. He has been pivotal in the ongoing Libertadores campaign, having participated in victories over Cerro Porteño, Bolívar, and Sporting Cristal.
This upcoming clash is filled with excitement as fans on both sides look forward to an intense competition, with Gómez keeping a focused mindset on securing a critical win for Palmeiras.
Fans can catch the match live on Disney+, making it accessible for those who want to witness this thrilling encounter in the Libertadores.