The final weekend of the season is here, Olimpia will be champions in front of their fans if they can avoid defeat to Nacional on the final day of the season. For Nacional what has been a brilliant run has been scuppered in the last two games by lowly Sportivo Ameliano who beat them in the Cup Final on penalties and then in the league to blow their chance of the title.

Julio César Cáceres has done a fantastic job in the second half of the season as Olimpia have won their last nine matches. The home form has been a constant source of strength throughout the Clausura as El Decano remain unbeaten winning 8 and drawing 2 and scoring 1.8 goals on average while at Para Uno. However, this game will be played at the National Stadium the Defensores del Chaco given the huge demand for tickets. They’ve won their last two games there, 2-0 and 6-1 vs Sol de América and Resistencia respectively, but did lose to Tacuary in July. There are no fresh injury worries nor suspensions for the side, fully expecting Derlis González to lead the line before heading to the US with the National Team.

Nacional’s leading scorer Facundo Bruera missed a penalty in the last game and won’t be able to make amends having also picked up his fifth yellow card and is suspended for this game. Morale is low in the camp as Nacional had expected to go into this match with a chance at the title and possibly a trophy (the Copa Paraguay) under their belt. Pedro Sarabia’s side do have the best away record of any team having picked up 23 points on the road compared to Olimpia’s 22 but this match could seem like an anti-climax.

The last meeting between these sides was a 1-1 draw as Nacional equalized through Bruera’s second half strike. In fact Olimpia have taken the lead in all three meetings in 2022 but are yet to pick up a win, drawing two and losing the first match up back in April. BTTS has landed in the last 8 meetings, and with neither side needing a win the goals market is more tempting than the outrights.

An historic occasion for the city of Encarnación as it plays host to the first ever Paraguayan top division match having also been the site of the Paraguayan Cup Final. Guaireña were forced to move the match from their smaller home stadium due to the massive influx of Cerro Porteño fans holding onto the glimmer of hope of the title.

Guaireña have almost secured Copa Sudamericana football and are further from the drop zone than ever before hitting a record 50 points this calendar year. There is a full strength side with Diego back from suspension but he has competition in midfield as Pablo Ayala has slotted in well on his return from injury. Regular goalkeeper Héctor Espínola has been dropped for the last two matches for his young understudy Óscar Toledo, but it remains to be seen if he continues in this match having conceded four to Libertad.

Cerro Porteño edged past Resistencia with a late penalty from the right back Alberto Espínola who has now scored in three of the last four matches. In fact the last goal from open play from a non-defender was 380 minutes ago when Marcelo Moreno Martins netted in the clásico defeat versus Olimpia. Morneo Martins is expected to get the nod in this match with Robert Piris da Motta coming in at central midfield to replace an out of sorts Carrascal. Fortunately for Chiqui Arce’s team, goal difference isn’t in play – if two sides top the table equal on points then they play a tie-breaking Finalisíma to decide the league champion. So any win will do against Guaireña and should Olimpia lose to Nacional then they have a chance at the title via the extra game playoff.

The last game was a 2-2 draw as Cerro conceded in the 95th minute, but the five games prior to that have been Under 2.5 goals as both managers are well organized and favour defensive stability. Cerro Porteño usually come out on top in tight encounters and have won four of their last six against Guaireña. With so much at stake they will likely get the win on neutral ground.

Tacuary head into this match with a sniff at the Sudamericana having picked up 10 points from a possible 15 under coach Robert Pereira. They face a Libertad side with nothing to play for except the “Paraguay 1” position for the Copa Libertadores seeding – something they would lose if Cerro were champion and they lose this match.

Tacuary have had a topsy-turvy season, winning 7 from 9 under Iván Almeida before crashing to 6 defeats in their next 7 which cost the coach his job. Pereira has come in and picked things up again as they still have a shot at continental competition. The feature in the last few games has been goals, scoring 13 at an average of 2.6 per game. They haven’t kept a clean sheet on that run, as they look to outscore the opposition.

Daniel Garnero’s team have simply been going through the motions since getting knocked out of the Copa Paraguay. They have won three, drawn three and lost three since that semifinal exit and it is hard to tell which side will turn up on any given day. Lorenzo Melgarejo has an eye on the individual prize of topscorer, he is neck and neck with Olimpia’s Derlis González on 12 goals and the two are battling for a starting role in the Paraguayan National Team who play two friendlies next week. William Mendieta is suspended and could be replaced by veteran Cristian Riveros who turned 40 last month.

Libertad have won all three meetings to nil this year, winning 1-0, 3-0 and 2-0 to date – but without the same motivation an away win seems a long shot. With goals flying in both ends for Tacuary and Libertad still the second-highest scoring side in the table despite their poor season the likelihood is on goals.