Argentina’s two fiercest rivals River Plate and Boca Juniors meet again this weekend with Sunday bringing us another Superclasico. However, this one has a twist with the game taking place in Cordoba at the neutral Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium because this is the quarterfinals of the Copa de la Liga. Both sides will be keen to reach the next round and the direct ticket to the 2025 Copa Libertadores as well as the usual needle between these two South American giants. With no second legs, this one needs a winner either over 90 minutes or even penalties.
River-Boca history
This game first took place in 1908 and it pits the two most titled clubs in Argentina against each other with River on 38 wins and Boca on 35 when it comes to the league. Arguably the biggest grudge game in world soccer, Buenos Aires comes to a standstill when these two meet. This time it will take place in Cordoba and it marks the first time since the 2018 Copa Libertadores final that both sets of fans have been allowed to attend so expect another colorful and vibrant atmosphere for this one.
Here are our storylines, how you can watch the match and more:
How to watch and odds
- Date: Sunday, Apr. 21 | Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Mario Albeto Kempes — Cordoba, Argentina
- Watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Odds: River +110; Draw +227; Boca +234
Storylines
River: Martin Demichelis’ side flirted with disaster earlier in the tournament but ended up topping Zone A ahead of Argentinos Juniors, Barracas Central and Velez Sarsfield who all also advanced to the quarterfinals. A Facundo Colidio hat trick sealed it for River and their side of the bracket sees the winner of this Superclasico face Estudiantes (LP) or Barracas Central. On the other side, Argentinos Juniors face Defensa y Justicia while Godoy Cruz and Velez are the other quarterfinalists. Expect Demichelis to go with some of his biggest names for this one.
Potential River XI: Franco Armani; Marcelo Herrera, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Paulo Diaz, Enzo Diaz; Ignacio Fernandez, Rodrigo Villagra, Rodrigo Aliendro, Claudio Echeverri; Pablo Solari and Facundo Colidio.
Boca: If River’s progress looked fairly comfortable in terms of positioning atop Zone A, Boca barely managed to sneak through in Zone B. Just one point separated Xeneize and Racing in fifth with Godoy Cruz four points clear at the top of Zone B. Like River, Boca could fancy the potential route post-Superclasico with either Estudiantes (LP) or Barracas Central followed by one of Argentinos Juniors, Defensa y Justicia, Godoy Cruz or Velez. Boca certainly boast some of the most recognizable names in the fixture currently with the likes of Edinson Cavani, Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo and Luis Advincula.
Potential Boca XI: Sergio Romero; Luis Advincula, Cristian Lema, Marcos Rojo, Lautaro Blanco; Pol Fernandez, Equi Fernandez, Kevin Zenon; Miguel Merentiel and Edinson Cavani.
Prediction
Expect this one to go with form but not by much, so River to narrowly beat Boca. Do not be surprised if it takes more than 90 minutes. Pick: River 2, Boca 1.
