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Independiente del Valle, from Ecuador, and Atlético Mineiro, from Brazil, will face each other this Tuesday in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana 2025 semifinals, both chasing the long-awaited ticket to the grand final of the continental tournament.

Both teams come into the match showing significant improvement after overcoming early-season struggles. Since the playoffs, they’ve displayed a level of consistency that has earned them a spot among the top four teams in the competition.

Independiente del Valle: Ecuador’s leader aims for another international final

The Ecuadorian side had an inconsistent start in the Copa Libertadores, finishing third in Group B. That position allowed them to enter the Sudamericana playoffs, where they convincingly eliminated Vasco da Gama (4–0 at home and 1–1 in Brazil).

They later defeated Mushuc Runa in the round of 16 after a dramatic penalty shootout (4–2), and in the quarterfinals, they came back against Once Caldas of Colombia, again winning the series on penalties (5–4).

In the Ecuadorian league, Independiente del Valle leads comfortably with 70 points, far ahead of LDU Quito, which sits second with 55 points and eight matches remaining. However, in the Copa Ecuador, they were eliminated by Universidad Católica.

Historically, the club has been a strong contender in Conmebol tournaments: it lost the 2016 Copa Libertadores final to Atlético Nacional but won the Copa Sudamericana in 2019 and 2022, as well as the Recopa Sudamericana in 2023.

Atlético Mineiro: Sampaoli’s team looks to save its season

Meanwhile, Atlético Mineiro began its international campaign in Group H of the Sudamericana under coach Cuca, finishing second and advancing to the playoffs. There, they defeated Atlético Bucaramanga on penalties (3–1), followed by a victory over Godoy Cruz in the round of 16 (2–1 and 1–0), and later survived a tough series against Bolívar of Bolivia, drawing 2–2 in La Paz and winning 1–0 in Brazil — this time under the guidance of Jorge Sampaoli.

In the 2025 Brasileirão, the Belo Horizonte side sits 14th in the standings with 33 points after 28 matches, far behind leaders Palmeiras (61 points). In their most recent fixture, they drew 1–1 with archrivals Cruzeiro, once again revealing defensive weaknesses — just 26 goals scored and 32 conceded.