Defending Copa Libertadores’ champions River Plate are back in the competition’s final following their 1-0 away defeat to Boca Juniors on October 22nd (2-1 on aggregate). Their last competitive game was a week ago, when they beat second-tier side Estudiantes Buenos Aires 2-0 to advance to the Copa Argentina’s final. In the league, they lost 1-0 at home to Rosario Central, which prevented them from climbing to the top of the table: El Millonario are now on 24 points in 13 round, only one behind leaders. It was their only loss in the last four competitive games, winning the other three.
Meanwhile, Flamengo played their best game in the whole tournament to thrash Gremio 5-0 at home, which allowed them to return to the Copa Libertadores’ final after 38 years, when they lifted their only title. Last Sunday, they beat Gremio again (1-0 away) to open an outstanding 13-point gap over second-placed Palmeiras at the top of the league table. O Rubro Negro are on 25 competitive matches unbeaten, having claimed 20 successes in that spell (since losing to Bahia 3-0 in August).
These two are clearly the best teams in South America at the moment. Flamengo seem unbeatable and I think it’s the moment for someone to finally beat this great River team and lift the title for the first time in 38 years.