Five-time Copa Libertadores champions Penarol will be hoping to steer closer towards the group stage of the competition whey they face Caracas in Montevideo on Thursday.
Uruguayan giants Penarol clash with Caracas of Venezuela in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores preliminary qualification play-off at the Centenario stadium of Montevideo on Thursday.
Penarol, losing finalists of the 2011 edition of the tournament, are the overwhelming favourites coming into the tie, but would be naive to underestimate the hard-working Venezuelans.
Venezuelan soccer has grown immensely over the last decade, but although they have no silverware to show for their improvement, both the Venezuela national team and their clubs can now match it with South America's very best.
Penarol, five-time winners of the Copa Libertadores, have reinforced their squad with an abundance of talent in order to minimise the chances of receiving any unwanted surprises on Thursday.
Gregorio Perez, the coach of Penarol, will likely confront the match with a very attacking-minded approach as to take full advantage of playing in front of an intimidating 50,000 home crowd at the Centenario stadium.
The coach has confirmed that his latest signing Rodrigo Mora, who joined the side from Benfica, will partner former Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta in Penarol's attack.
Meanwhile, opponents Caracas have enjoyed a complete facelift this season, in order to increase their possibilities of progressing to the group stage of the Libertadores. While Caracas qualified for the group stage of the competition last year, they failed to make it out of their group.
Caracas boss Ceferino Bencomo approved the signings of Venezuelan players Juan Guerra, Jesus Meza, Jesus Gomez and Paraguayans Fidel Amado Perez and Victor Ramon Ferreira. Besides Gomez, the rest of the players mentioned will begin the game from the kick-off.
Penarol's eagerly-awaited Copa Libertadores opener has generated great expectation in the Uruguayan capital.
Penarol, losing finalists of the 2011 edition of the tournament, are the overwhelming favourites coming into the tie, but would be naive to underestimate the hard-working Venezuelans.
Venezuelan soccer has grown immensely over the last decade, but although they have no silverware to show for their improvement, both the Venezuela national team and their clubs can now match it with South America's very best.
Penarol, five-time winners of the Copa Libertadores, have reinforced their squad with an abundance of talent in order to minimise the chances of receiving any unwanted surprises on Thursday.
Gregorio Perez, the coach of Penarol, will likely confront the match with a very attacking-minded approach as to take full advantage of playing in front of an intimidating 50,000 home crowd at the Centenario stadium.
The coach has confirmed that his latest signing Rodrigo Mora, who joined the side from Benfica, will partner former Juventus striker Marcelo Zalayeta in Penarol's attack.
Meanwhile, opponents Caracas have enjoyed a complete facelift this season, in order to increase their possibilities of progressing to the group stage of the Libertadores. While Caracas qualified for the group stage of the competition last year, they failed to make it out of their group.
Caracas boss Ceferino Bencomo approved the signings of Venezuelan players Juan Guerra, Jesus Meza, Jesus Gomez and Paraguayans Fidel Amado Perez and Victor Ramon Ferreira. Besides Gomez, the rest of the players mentioned will begin the game from the kick-off.
Penarol's eagerly-awaited Copa Libertadores opener has generated great expectation in the Uruguayan capital.
