Boca Juniors travels to Rio de Janeiro to face Vasco da Gama at the historic Maracanã stadium with a berth in the Copa Sudamericana final on the line. The Argentine side faces a challenging task after dropping a 1-0 decision in the opening leg at La Bombonera last week, courtesy of a goal from Vasco’s Adson.
Despite the deficit, optimism within the squad has grown following the anticipated return of captain Leandro Paredes. The midfielder is aiming to rejoin the starting lineup after recovering from a right hamstring tear sustained on October 9 against Instituto. Although not yet at full fitness, Paredes has pushed his rehabilitation to lead a Boca squad that has struggled in Brazil, where it is winless in its last 11 matches. Its last victory on Brazilian soil came in December 2020 against Internacional in Porto Alegre.
Boca manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena acknowledged the physical push from his veteran midfielder, noting that keeping Paredes sidelined is never easy. The Xeneize enter the fixture in strong domestic form, coming off a 2-1 victory over Talleres in the Clausura tournament that pushed the club to the top of the Argentine league standings. Uruguayan forward Miguel Merentiel, who started on the bench in the first leg behind Enner Valencia, is a primary candidate to lead the attack after netting his 14th goal of the year against Talleres.
Vasco da Gama enters the contest looking to protect its aggregate lead and secure the club’s first CONMEBOL final appearance since 2000. The Brazilian side had to secure the Maracanã for the match through legal means after the stadium’s operating consortium, Fla-Flu, initially rejected the request, as Vasco’s home ground of São Januário does not meet CONMEBOL capacity and infrastructure requirements. Following a weekend defeat to São Paulo that left Vasco 15th in the Brasileirao, captain Thiago Mendes emphasized the team’s focus despite fatigue from the first leg.
In the other Copa Sudamericana semifinal, Atlético Mineiro holds a commanding 3-0 advantage over Montevideo City Torque as it closes in on a second consecutive appearance in the tournament final.
Meanwhile, the Copa Libertadores semifinals also reach their climax this week in Brazil. Palmeiras hosts Fluminense carrying a 2-1 lead from the first leg in Rio de Janeiro. Coached by Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras rides a four-match winning streak and welcomes back defenders Gustavo Gómez and Agustín Giay from domestic suspensions. Fluminense, the 2023 Libertadores champion, seeks to reverse a three-match losing skid after falling 2-1 to Santos over the weekend.
In the other Libertadores tie, Flamengo welcomes Estudiantes de La Plata to Rio de Janeiro following a scoreless draw in Argentina. Flamengo, the reigning champion and current Brasileirao leader, brings an 11-match unbeaten streak into the fixture and boasts an undefeated home record at the Maracanã in this year’s competition, where it has scored 11 goals and conceded three. Estudiantes, aiming for its first title since 2009, looks to replicate its strong defensive performance from the first leg, where missed scoring opportunities prevented the Argentine side from claiming an advantage.
