Club action resumes throughout South America this weekend

The international break last weekend shut down half the CONMEBOL leagues. Action resumes on the club level in domestic leagues throughout South America.

Just as it did in Europe, the international break disrupted the calendar in South America. Half of the CONMEBOL members opted to keep their domestic leagues playing, while the other half chose to take a weekend off at the club level. Six of South America’s national teams took part in friendlies across the United States during the break.

There were some highlights for fans of the South American game, but fewer than usual actually took place anywhere in South America proper. That all changes this weekend as clubs get back to play all across the continent. A full slate of games is on tap for every one of the 10 top-flight leagues, and there are some gems among the group.

Let’s take a look at several of those big contests as we preview the action set to take place in South America this weekend.

Deportivo Capiatá will try to remain in third place in Paraguay

The fun begins in Paraguay, where Olimpia is 7-1-1 through nine matches. The Apertura champions sit four points clear at the top of the Clausura table as the back half of the 2018 season nears its midway point. They are well positioned to claim the outright title this year, and could move even further into the lead after this weekend’s play is in the books.

Olimpia plays eighth-place Sol de América on Saturday. Behind them, Cerro Porteño hold a strong grip on the runner-up position. But they face third-place Deportivo Capiatá in a Sunday showdown that has implications in both directions. If Olimpia loses on Saturday, it would open the door for Cerro Porteño to pull within a single point of the leaders.

More likely, however, is that Olimpia will win. In that case, Cerro Porteño needs to win just to stay within four points. A draw would drop Cerro Porteño as many as six points behind Olimpia. Meanwhile, Deportivo Capiatá is another four points behind Cerro Porteño on 14 points. They could either drive further down the table with a loss, or they might pull within a point of getting back into second spot in the Clausura race.

A similar situation exists at the top of the table in Uruguay

Like Olimpia, Peñarol has a nice lead at the top of the table after a couple of months of Clausura play. With only 16 clubs in the Primera División, though, it means that Uruguay is already more than halfway through the Clausura. They travel to face sixth-place Danubio, who will be trying to reel in an eight-point deficit on Peñarol beginning with this next match on Sunday.

Second-place Nacional is three points behind their oldest and biggest rivals. Nacional gets a home date in another Montevideo derby this weekend, when they face third-place Wanderers in a clash that has implications for both clubs. Without knowing what will happen with Peñarol on Sunday, this match offers Nacional the chance to pull level with their nemesis for at least one day.

A Wanderers win, however, would allow the Vagabundos to climb within one point of Nacional in the standings with six matches left to play. And if Danubio beats Peñarol while Nacional also loses, that would put three clubs within four points of one another over the final few months.

There is also going to be solid action throughout the rest of the big leagues. A full slate of games will be played throughout Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina after the international break. Ecuador, Colombia, and Brazil are also in action this weekend. Whatever your favorite flavor, there is plenty of soccer action on tap throughout South America to enjoy this weekend.