Arturo Vidal breaks down the Copa Libertadores 2026 round of 16 and backs Católica and Coquimbo

Before a ball is kicked in the round of 16 of the 2026 Copa Libertadores, Arturo Vidal decided to break out his soccer calculator. Colo Colo's captain recorded a video for his Instagram account and went through, tie by tie, every matchup of the round. And true to his Chilean roots, he didn't hold back: he made predictions for Universidad Católica and Coquimbo Unido, the two Chilean clubs one step away from reaching the continent's final eight.

Católica faces Estudiantes de La Plata, and there "King" Vidal was clear, though without underestimating the opponent. "It's tough, but I'm going with Católica. Católica has played beautifully in the Libertadores, and whenever they've had to play away they've done it very well. I think they're going to go through," Vidal explained in the video. That's not a minor detail: the Cruzados have shown real solidity on the road in this edition of the tournament, something the midfielder pointed to as the key reason behind his pick.

The other matchup with Chilean flavor pits Coquimbo Unido against Platense, coached by Hernan Caputto. There, Vidal anticipated a tight, tactical battle. "Tough one, two very compact teams, but we're going with the Chilean side. Coquimbo goes through," he said, making clear that whenever in doubt, he'll always back the shirt of his own country.

The rest of the bracket, according to Vidal

"King" Vidal didn't stop at the Chilean ties and went through the rest of the bracket as well. He predicted Deportes Tolima would advance over Independiente del Valle, sided with Flamengo in their clash against Cruzeiro, and gave the nod to Liga de Quito over Mirassol. He also backed Palmeiras against Cerro Porteño, supported Independiente Rivadavia over Fluminense, and, in one of the most talked-about picks, tipped Rosario Central to beat Corinthians.

On that last matchup in particular, Vidal took the chance to highlight his personal ties to the Argentine club's bench and roster. Jorge Almiron, Rosario Central's current coach, managed Colo Colo a few seasons back, and Vicente Pizarro, a midfielder for the "Canalla," was Vidal's teammate at the Chilean club for two years. Those connections, more than any tactical breakdown, appear to have shaped his prediction.

With Universidad Católica and Coquimbo Unido on the verge of writing an important chapter for Chilean soccer in the Libertadores, Vidal's words add a vote of confidence from one of the country's most recognized players, though, like any prediction, it will have to be confirmed on the field.