Although there have been no reports São Paulo manager Edgardo Bauza has made his players take Viagra as the River Plate players did when visiting The Strongest in Copa Libertadores, him and his players will be more than aware of the difficulty at playing at such extreme altitude.

The last team to beat the Strongest at home was a Brazilian team when a Ronaldinho inspired Atletico Mineiro recorded a  2-1 victory in 2013 on their way to becoming Copa Libertadores champions. Prior to that you would have to go as far back as 2006 to find a team that has won in the Bolivian capital.  Of course São Paulo travel to La Paz not needing to win however this record does emphasise the nature of the task. Furthermore as this record has been maintained over such a long period with completely different players, it also suggests just how much of a factor the altitude is when playing against The Strongest. São Paulo enter the game on a poor run of domestic results but more importantly they will feel on the back of a superb performance against River Plate in which they won 2-1 and pressed River high up the field from the first minute. Owing to the altitude, this game will be nowhere near as frantic as the game against River and the experienced players of Bauza’s team will be crucial in managing the game and the conditions.

Best performance of The Strongest in this year Copa Libertadores was in São Paulo

The Strongest’s best performance in recent history was in the first game in São Paulo when they were organised both defensively as well as on the counter attack and were rewarded by a goal from Matias Alonso through the best worked corner your likely to see this year. The Brazilians will take encouragement both from their own performance against River but also River’s performance away in La Paz in which they should have won the game comfortably based on the chances created.

The other game in the group should be a routine victory for the already qualified River Plate against the already knocked out Trujillanos.

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Racing Club vs Boca Juniors

Both teams fielded weakened teams at the weekend which suggests the significance of this clasico despite qualification being possible for both even in the event of defeat tonight. For Boca defeat however would mean qualification could be out of their hands depending on the result of the match between Bolivar and Deportivo Cali. From the players rested at the weekend it is likely Racing will field Gustavo Bou and Lisandro Lopez in attack ahead of Colombian Roger Martinez. Marcos Acuña will be given his usual license to drift in from the left and combine with Lopez and Bou.

Boca are expected to continue with the 4-3-3 in Copa Libertadores that worked and that has brought out the best of Carlos Tevez in the previous two games it has been adopted.

São Paulo vs River Plate

Trullijano’s win against The Strongest has given Sao Paolo an additional lifeline as a win against The Strongest next week will see them qualify even in the event of defeat tonight. However the notorious difficulty of playing in Bolivia means a win tonight is essential as this would mean a draw against The Strongest will suffice. The 4 goals of Jonothan Calleri in the Copa game will be a huge confidence to the former Boca man who will need no extra motivation when facing River in Copa Libertadores. For River even if defeated tonight, they should still qualify with a relatively simple looking final fixture at home to Trullijanos however Marcelo Gallardo’s admission they are out of the running domestically means they will field a full strength team.

Liga de Quito vs Gremio

The first game between these two ended in a 4-0 rout in favour of Gremio in one of the most dominant perormances of the Copa so far. Tonights game being played in Quito is highly unlikely to end in similar fashion owing to the relative strength of Liga at home and Gremio away from home. Liga de Quito have provided some of the most spectacular atmospheres in recent Copa Libertadores history and tonight should be another one. San Lorenzo’s loss has opened the door for Liga who could still qualify having remarkably only won one game which came in the opening fixture against San Lorenzo. They will be hoping Diego Morales can produce the kind of performance he did during this match scoring both goals in a 2-0 win.  Since then he has shown the form that has taken his career to Ecuador rather than Europe as him and Liga have struggled for goals.

Miler Bolaños has not recovered from injury in time for Gremio to face the club in which he played for 4 years. Gremio have lost only 1 of their last 21 home games in the Copa which shows on the one hand shows their strength at home but their failure to reach a final in recent years also demonstrates their poor away form and were comfortably beaten in the away game at Touluca.

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A move away from the Bombonera has long been discussed by Boca Presidents, board members and fans alike for the primary reason that the current stadium is too small. Although the stadium can hold up to 49,000 supporters currently, if proposed plans for all seater stadiums across Argentina are instilled then this would drop significantly to 34,000. Even if the capacity remains at its current 49,000 the huge number of fans on the waiting list to become members (70,000) means there is more than enough demand to justify a stadium expansion. Although there are no confirmed reports about potential costs or size, a new stadium would undoubtedly be significantly considerably larger with increased capacity for corporate fans and international events.

Wiki Commons / Diego Delso

Why a new Stadium is Economically logical

A move away from the club’s home neighbourhood of La Boca is one argument that will not affect the debate as the land purchased is close in proximity to the current location. This land that has been purchased is around 32,000 square meters and much larger than the current dimensions of the Bombonera. This additional area  would facilitate the construction of a Boca Juniors complex with a school, theatre, sports and cultures centre and would resemble rivals River Plate’s facilities. This is one of the major arguments for the construction of a new stadium, not only for the club but also for the city of Buenos Aires as it would regenerate one of the poorest and underdeveloped areas and would continue the modernisation of the cities dockland area. La Boca is arguably the most famous and touristic neighborhood in the city and the idea of Boca being the centre of an invigorated neighbourhood would be appealing financially. The idea of a new Boca Juniors stadium being at the centre of a redeveloped and prosperous neighbourhood is potentially very lucrative for the club as despite infrastructural deficiencies and high crime rates, La Boca borders the newly developed Puerto Madero and downtown regions which makes it ripe for gentrification.

Aside from the need to expand the stadium for economic reasons there remain strong questions over the safety of the current Bombonera. Stadium disasters are common across South America and various health officials have criticised the stadium for lacking essential safety features that a stadium hosting that number of spectators should have.

La Bombonera is and should remain home

The argument for remaining in the Bombonera is a sentimental one and goes back to 1940 when it became the home of the club where it has played ever since. Football fans like everybody are naturally attached to what they already have and the iconic status of the Bombonera for the memories success the club has had in the stadium intensifies this sentimentality. There are arguments that the current stadium should be expanded but as of yet no plans have been revealed as to how this would be feasible.

The history of the stadium and its famed stands actually contribute significantly to the Boca Juniors brand globally as it is the stadium and the image of the fans in the steep terraces that most football fans globally would associate with the club. In addition to selling the club internationally as a brand, tours of La Bombonera remain a hugely popular attraction for tourists when visiting Buenos Aires and an important source of income for the club. The club and it’s fans face an important decision that is representative of the one that faces Argentine football generally, modernisation at the expense of heritage or maintaining a loyalty to sentimentality and folklore at the risk of being left behind.

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River Plate vs The Strongest

River enter tonight’s game knowing the cup is the only thing that can salvage their season. No wins in their last 6 games has left manager Marcelo Gaillardo under pressure for the first time since he took charge as results and performances have been poor. In addition to the shambolic defending we have analysed previously, there is no fluidity or patterns of play in the attack. The majority of goals have come from set plays and they look miles away from the slick passing that earned gallardos team the nicknames ‘la nueva Maquina’ and ‘la gallardeta’. Despite this they enter tonight’s game as firm favourites and were desperately unlucky not to to win in the first game in Peru.

Rosario Central vs Palmeiras

Independiente del Valle vs Atletico Mineiro

Santa Fe vs Corinthians

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Source: Peñarol Facebook page

The move away from the iconic Estadio Centenario represents a significant milestone in the history of the Montevideo club. Not only did they win 5 Copa Libertadores titles in the Centenario but they have been playing their home games in the legendary stadium for well over 80 years. The new stadium is almost a third smaller in size, holding 40,000 spectators and follows trends globally toward a more confined stadium with the stands a lot closer to the field of play.

The Centenario became synonymous with spectacular recibimientos (player entrances) and it will be exciting to see if the fans can recreate this in a stadium that in theory should cater itself more toward an emotive atmosphere. Tonight’s game promises to be a celebration with most of the excitement coming off the field and from the supporters although both teams will field strong line ups. The opening of a new stadium in South America is a rare event and the occasion promises to be a wall of noise and yellow and black colours.

Even more attention will be on the terraces as leaders of Boca Junior’s Barra Brava (ultra) group will be in attendance having be invited by their peñarol counterparts.

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Colo-Colo

Undoubtedly the bigger and far more well known of the two Chilean club, Colo-Colo enter the tournament as Chile’s most decorated club with 30 league titles and as the only Chilean team to have won the competition. They should progress from a relatively weak group and have picked up 4 points in the opening games while are top of the domestic league and recently convincingly beat local rivals Catolica 3-0. Scoring goals may be a worry as in both the 1-0 win against Melgar and the 1-1 draw with Independiente del Valle they were by far the dominant team but could only convert one chance in both games. The responsibility of scoring goals falls predominantly on Esteban Paredes while flying full backs Jean Beausejour and Gonzalo Fierro look to get forward as much as possible to service the veteran striker. The other veteran in the team, Jaime Valdes, adds creativity and has the ability to dictate the tempo of the game when on form.

Key Player – Jaime Valdes

Cobresal

The story of Cobresal is truly a remarkable one and deserves perhaps more than merely a few lines. The club hails from a small mining town in the Atacama Desert with a population so small it would struggle to fit in even the smallest of the stadiums that will host games in this years competition. The 7000 inhabitants that live in the town do so solely because of the copper mining industry and yet this unlikely place for even an amateur football team provided a team that won the Chilean championship last year. Sadly the team has been picked apart since and the current crop are struggling to even compete in the domestic championship. Star striker Matías Donoso was one of many players that have departed the club since the teams heroics in winning the primera title. Their struggle to compete in Chilean division this season suggests life in the Copa Libertadores 2016 could be even more difficult which has been reflected by losing both their opening games.

Key player – Johan Fuentes

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Corinthians Paulista

The Champion of Brazilian League 2015 lost five of their starting players before this season began. Among those, experienced Renato Augusto and Jádson who left to booming Chinese League and Supert-talent Malcolm who joined the French team Girondins Bordeaux which means it will be difficult for coach Tite to form a competitive team. The strength of the team is still a huge question mark due to the non existing experience of some of the players. Their start into the Copa Libertadores looked quite hopeful with two 1:0 wins against Santa Fe and Cobresal.

Key player – Elias

Clube Atlético Mineiro

The second Brazilian team Atlético Mineiro was the runner-up in the Brazilian league 2015 and on paper look the most prepared team for the Copa Libertadores. New coach Diego Aguirre was able to hold together the team from 2015. They just lost defender Jemerson who moved to AS Monaco, but have replaced him well with Ecuadorian Erazo, nicknamed “El Elegante”. Their big name addition is undoubtedly former Real Madrid player Robinho who came back from his Chinese adventure adventure and will line up with  with Luan and the Argentines Lucas Pratto and Dátolo to form a frightening offense. They started well with two wins into the Copa Libertadores.

Key player – Rafael Carioca and Juan Cazares

Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense

 Gremio, who finished third in Brazilian League 2015, substituted legend Felipe Scolari with Roger Machado last summer, like always they will be one of the strongest contenders from Latin America’s largest country. Gremio have maintained a relatively unchanged team and have added powerful midfielder Wallace from Chelsea to replace Galhardo who moved to Anderlecht. Miler Bolaños will boost the attack significantly if he can continue the form he has shown at Emelec and with the Ecuadorian national team during the last 3 years. Grêmio started with an impressive 4:0 against Quito but lost in the second team in Toluca.

Key player – Luan

Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras

Palmeiras, who won the Brazilian Cup in 2015 in the final against Santos, were one of the most surprising teams in Brazil in 2015. Palmeiras had a streak of good form during the season however couldn’t hold their form and lost position over position in the table. Fortunately it went very well for them in the Brazilian Cup in which they beat Santos in the final. With the good signings of young Erik and Rodrigo from Goiás and Jean from Fluminenese, the team should be better than last season and be able to enter quarter finals in Copa Libertadores. They started with four points into the tournament, winning against Rosario Central and drawing against Uruguayan River Plate. Despite a good start, to progress they will have to improve as the reality of the win against Rosario Central was that they were outplayed throughout the game.

Key player – Lucas Barrios

São Paulo Futebol Clube

São Paulo, who finished fourth in Brazilian League 2015, is the Brazilian team with the biggest question mark about their form. With star striker Alexandre Pato leaving for London, São Paulo had to search for a quality striker and found Argentine Calleri from Boca Juniors. It will be decisive if the new Argentine head coach Edgardo Bauza (ex- San Lorenzo) will adapt to Brazil, a country that has traditionally seen a lot of foreign coaches fail. São Paolo lost their first game in the Copa Libertadores against the Stongest from Bolivia. If Calleri can continue his form from last season in Argentina then São Paulo may be in luck as the young starlet was instrumental in Boca’s title winning campaign and it was this form that led to his impending move to Inter Milan.

Key player – Ganso

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While the stakes are as high as always, it is for contrasting reasons to how the picture is painted above. Both teams come into the game on the back of a disappointing start with Boca sacking manager Arruabarena on Tuesday and appointing former striker and club legend Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Although Arruabarrena’s position had been under threat for some time it is understood that boca took the decision with the superclasico in mind as the divided squad has shown no sign of unification in recent weeks. The appointment of a club idol on the week of a superclasico will certainly paper over cracks and it has been deemed more important to have a squad and fan base united rather than giving a manager time to prepare the squad tactically. Barros Schelotto will have only have had 3 days with the team going into today’s clash.

Where the game will be won and lost

The fixtures history suggests the game will be tight while very recent history suggests it will be even tighter as the two summer superclasicos were decided by a penalty in favour of River on both occasions. The fine line between passion and staying disciplined may well decide the game as the fixture has been dominated by red cards and playing with a man less in the midday Buenos Aires sun could be decisive.

The intensity of the game is at its most ferocious in the midfield where the battle culminates. Boca’s 1-0 victory in september was one in which Rodrigo Bentancur showed why he is so highly rated as his quick incisive passing was key to the victory in beating River’s front foot midfield pressing. Marcelo Gallardo’s River have looked short in both central midfield and defence and with Eder Balanta doubtful for the game this will further compound River’s woes in this area which Boca will look to expose. Nicolas Lodeiro and Bentancur will probably start in wide areas but will drift centrally and look to cause problems for Ponzio and whoever partners him. With Eder Balanta out injured Emmanuel Mammana will probably start in the centre of defence and offers him to claim a place in the side in his favoured position and demonstrate why he’s already been capped by the national team.

Rivers main threat this season has been Lucas Alario who looks more and more the complete striker every week demonstrating fantastic technical ability for the winning goal on Monday against Independiente. If Leandro Pisculichi can continue his form from the last Copa Libertadores game then he could be key to servicing Alario who would fancy his chances both aerially and on the ground against an aging Cata Diaz. Alternatively to using the technical Pisculichi, Gallardo could field a more athletic team which he has often favoured against Boca to account for the competitiveness of the fixture.

The intensity of the rivalry has somehow managed to intensify even further since the gas incident last year and what is certain is that todays game will be another chapter in the longer and fascinating history of River Plate v Boca Juniors.

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After the guides for Argentina and Ecuador we will present now the three participating Colombian teams Atlético Nacional de Medellín, Club Independiente Santa Fe de Bogotá and Deportivo Cali.

Atlético Nacional de Medellín

The Colombian champions started with two convincing wins into the tournament and look like the team with the biggest title chances of the tree Colombian participants. After winning 2:0 at Argentine team Huracán they got a safe 3:0 win at home against Peruvian Sporting Cristal. Nacional is the team with the highest budget in Colombia with a lot of good players. The attack is their biggest strength as they always look to play football on the front foot regardless of being home or away. In the opening rounds, the attacking threat of the team appears to be spearheaded by 19 year old Marlos Moreno who along with Victor Ibarbo will cause problems for most defences. With Argentine goalkeeper Franco Armani they have one of the best goalkeepers in South America. Together with Alejandro “Lobito” Guerra, Sherman Cárdenas (creative midfield player), Alexis Henríquez and capitán and fan idol Alex Meíja they have very experienced players at this level.

Key player – Alex Mejía

Club Independiente Santa Fe

The second Colombian team Independiente Santa Fe from the capital Bogotá had a bad start in the tournament with a draw against Cero Porteño from Paraguay and a loss against Brazilian team Corinthians. In contrast to Atlético Nacional de Medellín their style of playing is more focused on defending. Their main offensive threat has been set plays, from which they score a lot of goals through headers. In addition to that their counterattacking with some kind of kick-and-rush makes them a unpleasant opponent. Besides captain and fan idol Omar Pérez are the most important players winger Luis Manuel Seijas, goalkeeper Rufay Zapata, and the two youngsters defender Yerry Mina and striker Carlos Ibargüen.

Key player – Omar Pérez

Deportivo Cali

Deportivo Cali have made a name for themselves in recent years for their academy which has produced some of the most exciting players on the continent. “La Amenaza Verde” was named as one of the outside favourites for the Copa Libertadores title. But after an impressive start in the tournament with a goalless draw against tournament favourites Boca Juniors the young team had to pay dearly in a 5-0 defeat at the altitude of La Paz in 3.600 m. After 39 minutes Bolívar were winning already 3:0, Cali struggling too hard and conceding two more goals in the second half. Against Boca Juniors the defence of Cali didn’t seem very stable, but with Carlos Tevez not having his best day, there were no consequences.

Harold Preciado and Santos Borré, who will join Atlético Madrid this summer, can create with their pace, physical strength and technical skills problems in every opponents defence. Together with the wingers Andrés Roa and Fabián Sambueza the attacking quality of this team is immense. Fan idol Andrés Pérez usually provides the team with the stability and experience they are lacking due to their youth. Against Argentine Racing de Avellaneda “El Glorioso” will forced to show their full potential if they don’t want their dream of the first Copa Libertadores title to be finished before it really started. It’s time for Borré to show why he is one of the hottest prospects in Colombia.

Key player – Rafael Santos Borré

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wikimedia:César Muñoz/Andes

The second country in our  look at this years Copa Libertadores 2016  entrants is Ecuador, the only Pacific Coast based country to provide a winner in the competitions history.

Liga de Quito

The team that in recent history have performed far better in  intercontinental competitions than at home have shown no sign of bucking this trend at the start of this season. While in Serie A they find themselves winless and bottom, they emphatically beat 2014 champions San Lorenzo 2-0 in the opening game of the Libertadores. Both goals were scored by Diego Morales and the way in which he weaved past the San Lorenzo defence for both goals was reminiscent of fellow countryman Diego Maradona in his pomp.

Morales adds flair and creativity to the attack and alonsigside veteran striker Carlos Tenorio and midfielder Fernando Hidalgo they have enough quality to advance to the latter stages. Realistically they represent the most credible challenge from Ecuador but their success in the competition will be defined by how well they can defend away from home which has often let down their formidable home record.

Key player – Diego Morales

Emelec

Entering the tournament as the champions of Ecuador for a third consecutive time, the team from Guayaquil will be hoping they can improve on last year’s performance when they reached the quarter finals. The start to this season’s campaign highlights their shortfalls, winning comfortably at home but losing comfortably away from home in Mexico to Pumas. Similarly to Liga de Quito, if they are to find any way of advancing beyond the quarter finals then organising themselves better away from home will be crucial. Argentine duo Emanuel Herrera and former Everton man Denis Stracqualursi will provide a target for the creativity of Angel Mena in midfield.

Key player – Angel Mena

Independiente del Valle

Independiente, the club with no major honours in its history have somewhat overachieved in even reaching the group stages after beating Guarani in the qualifying rounds. Their stadium holds around 8,000 people and will not provide the hostility that many Ecuadorian teams are able to use as an advantage in the tournament. They began the tournament with a credible 1-1 draw to Chilean giants Colo-Colo and a defeat away in Brazil to Atlético Mineiro.

Key player – Junior Sornoza

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