River Plate - Boca Juniors - Tips by users and experts on football, 9 December 2018: Copa Libertadores

To kick-off

2 days

27 April 2025, 18:30Argentina. Primera División

River Plate vs Boca Juniors

Predictions

Odds

Statistics

Match

Squad

Handicap River Plate (-1) • 3.4

Derby day - Superclasico. River Plate - Boca Juniors.
A hot evening is waiting for us. Saturday’s game is undoubtedly one of the biggest in history of the entire sport and with the stakes running so high, it’s certainly not one to be missed.
After an intresting 2-2 draw in La Bombonera two weeks ago, River Plate and Boca Juniors do battle once again on Saturday in nothing less than the Copa Libertadores final.
River will be confident in getting the job done and will be looking to control the match from start to finish, because they’ve won 4 of their last 5 home games and are unbeaten against Boca in all 4 meetings with them so far this year. They’ve won 3 of their 4 meetings with Boca in 2018 and are regarded in Argentina as the side that play the better football of the two.
Boca having not won any of their last 4 away games. Pavon injured he will be absent, it's big problem for BJ.
In general, I think the RP will surely win and get its title. Come on River!

River Plate Win • 2.03

Bien que Boca Juniors ne renoncera pas jusqu'à la dernière seconde de la rencontre, il serait étonnant de voir River Plate s'effondrer sur sa pelouse. Les hommes de Marcelo Gallardo ont fait preuve de talent et maturité au match aller, et pourront s'appuyer sur un public de folie pour les pousser jusqu'à la victoire. Comme lors des quatre derniers duels entre les deux formations, River ne s'inclinera pas pour s'adjuger le titre de champion d'Amérique Latine.

Boca Juniors or Draw • 1.8

Both Teams To Score - Yes • 1.83

INPLAY - After a 2-2 first leg draw at La Bombonera, that wasn’t entirely free of drama itself thanks to torrential rain, the second leg of one of the biggest finals in footballing history was set to take place two weeks ago but was then postponed, moved forward a day, postponed again and then moved to Madrid in very controversial fashion, after the Boca team bus was attacked by projectiles on its way to River’s Estadio Monumental.

Whilst one could talk for forever and a day about CONMEBOL’s decision to take South America’s showpiece event away from the continent, there’s still a football match to be played after all and whilst the game has undoubtedly lost a little bit of its magic, it’s still one both teams will be desperate to win.

With the game being played in Madrid in front of both sets of fans, River have suffered a huge blow, having lost their all important home advantage. Los Millonarios appeared in pole position to claim continental glory on home soil but the moronic behaviour of a tiny section of their support has now seen them hit with consequences that could well prove costly.

Nonetheless, Marcelo Gallardo’s troops will surely still fancy their chances, having seen off Santa Fe, Flamengo and Emelec in the group stage as well as Racing, Independiente and Gremio in the knockouts to reach this final, losing just once in the competition in the process.

Meanwhile, while Boca may not have got the default win they were asking for after the attack on their bus, the venue switch has given them much more of a chance in securing what would be a seventh Libertadores title.

Despite having won the domestic title in each of the last two seasons, fans have long since been demanding another Libertadores title, with their last crown coming back in 2007. Having made it through a group containing Palmeiras, Junior and Alianza Lima prior to beating Libertad, Cruzeiro and Palmeiras in the knockouts, El Xeneize now find themselves on the brink of glory and will be desperate to find one final strong performance on Sunday.

Ultimately, no matter the outcome now, this is a final that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons instead of the right but if the first leg is anything to go by, we’re not likely to be short of goalmouth action and it should be a fairly entertaining affair.

I originally thought both teams would approach the tie in a apprehensive manner but were clearly mistaken as each outfit piled men forward in the first leg and with that likely to be repeated in Sunday’s clash, it’s backing both teams to score that looks to provide excellent value and is where our money is going.

Both teams have scored in 4 of River’s last 5 games; including each of the last 3 and with Boca having notched at least once in 7 consecutive matches, we’re not likely to be short of action at either end.

The sides have already met 4 times this year and River have remained unbeaten in all of said meetings whilst winning 3 of them and we think they’ll have a little bit too much for their rival, but it really is a game that could swing either way.

Boca Juniors Win • 3.44

Still, this match will be. I was sure that River Plate would win the Copa Libertadores, but after all the events the match was played not at the River stadium, and there could be everything. Boca will have an advantage, so I’ll try to win Boca Juniors