Boca Juniors vs River Plate
Boca Juniors continue to go through an irregular moment of form in the Copa Liga Profesional. The 1-1 home stalemate against Lanus in a poor game means El Xeneize won only one of their last five matches in this competition (drawing one and losing three) to make it only seven points in group B, which keeps them out of the playoff zone and also two points behind the last Copa Libertadores’ spot in the 2023 aggregate table. However, Boca succumbed to a single defeat in their last ten domestic matches as the hosting side, winning seven and drawing two. On Thursday 28, Jorge Almiron’s drew 0-0 at home against SE Palmeiras from Brazil in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores’ semi-finals.
River Plate had a tough night last Wednesday and settled for an unexpected 1-1 away stalemate at relegation candidates Banfield despite having taken the first lead. The defending champions made it three matches without defeat in the Copa Liga Profesional, winning two and drawing one in that time, which keeps them into the playoff zone in group A accumulating ten points. On a sorry note, Martin Demichelis’ men are on six winless away games in domestic action, with three stalemates and three defeats.
Even if for Boca the Copa Libertadores is their main priority and they might rest some starters here, I can’t see them as such big underdogs at home in the Superclasico, the biggest game of Argentinian football.. River has been terrible when playing away so I think Boca should be able to avoid a defeat before focusing on their midweek trip to Brazil.