Buenos Aires will come to a standstill on Sunday as Argentina’s two biggest clubs, River Plate and Boca Juniors, face off in another edition of the eagerly anticipated Superclásico — one of the biggest derbies in world soccer. For this face-off between the bitter enemies (their 293rd meeting), the stage is River’s intimidating El Monumental Stadium.
What gives the Superclásico a bit of a twist this time is the fact that the rivals are in the middle of highly contrasting seasons. Boca sits at the top of the Apertura Championship table with 23 points from 10 matches, while River is languishing in 10th, 10 points behind its eternal enemies. Making things even more humiliating for River, it was recently eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana tournament at the hands of Corinthians, the Brazilian team whose star is former Boca idol Carlos Tevez. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors advanced to the quarterfinals in stunning form, crushing Paraguayan champions Cerro Porteno 5-1 and winning by a huge 7-3 aggregate score.
The Fans
The social diversity between both teams’ supporters is always an interesting backdrop. River Plate’s fans are mainly the upper class of Buenos Aires. This is partly due to the fact that Monumental Stadium is located in the posh Nuñez neighborhood (which is why the club’s nickname is the Millonarios). Boca’s fan base is generally associated with working-class people, as the team’s Bombonera stadium is located in the city’s bohemian district of La Boca. In fact, the team’s nickname, Los Xeneizes (literally, the Genovese), comes from the Italian immigrants who established the club in 1905.
Club Achievements
Both clubs have rich histories, both in South America and in world soccer. Between them, they have won more than 50 league championships since 1931, which is a majority of all titles won by Argentine clubs.
Boca’s trophy chest is particularly full: It has been crowned South American champions on five occasions (1977, ’78, ’00, ’01 and ’03), their most recent Copa Libertadores title coming under former manager Carlos Bianchi with a 5-1 aggregate crushing of Brazil’s Santos — a high-profile team that boasted the likes of international stars Robinho, Diego and Ricardo Oliveira. The Xeneizes have also won the Intercontinental Cup — the European/South American competition now called the FIFA Club World Championship — three times. Just last season, they added the Copa Sudamericana to their collection.
Although its award cabinet may not be as extensive, River Plate still possesses a number of titles that are the envy of many of the world’s other clubs. River’s international record includes two Copa Libertadores (’86, ’96), an Intercontinental Cup, a Super Cup and a Copa Interamericana (now defunct).
Head-To-Head
The clubs’ records against each other are incredibly close. They have matched up 177 times in league play, and Boca has the upper hand with 66 wins to River’s 59 (there have been 52 draws). Including cup matches and other encounters, River and Boca have clashed 292 times, with Boca winning 112, River 92 and 88 draws between them.
More recently, in the last four Superclásicos dating back to Boca’s ’04 Clausura victory, the home side has always won. The last meeting between the clubs, at the end of May ’05 for the Clausura Championship, saw Boca winning 2-1 at the Bombonera. (The Argentine season, like many in Latin American leagues, is divided into an Aperatura, or opening half, and a Clausura, or closing.)
Squads
Boca manager Alfio Basile has molded a team many believe is the best Xeneizes squad in years. Club president Mauricio Macri spent big in the offseason to minimize the chances of a repeat of Boca’s forgetful first half of the year when it flopped in the league and in the Copa Libertadores. Since Basile took charge at the end of last season, the club has bought several of Argentina’s top home-based stars, including Federico Insúa, Daniel Bilos, Juan Krupoviesa, Daniel Díaz and Guillermo Marino, and attracted Sebastián Battaglia and Hugo Ibarra, both of whom were playing in Spain.
Boca’s squad also consists of talented midfielders Fernando Gago and Neri Cardozo, defenders Jose Calvo and Rolando Schiavi and a talented strike-force of Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio. Off the bench, Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Marcelo Delgado are useful weapons. Boca can also feel secure between the posts with Argentina’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Roberto Abbondanzieri, manning the net.
River’s horrendous start to the Apertura led to former coach Leonardo Astrada‘s resignation, and new manager Reinaldo Merlo hasn’t yet been able to lift the side to the glory to which River fans have become accustomed.
One of the reasons Astrada left is that team president Jose Maria Aguilar sold the bulk of the roster at the conclusion of the Clausura, including high-profile players Javier Mascherano, Luis Gonzalez, Marcelo Salas, Jose Sand and Carlos Diogo. The new Millonarios squad features many new faces, including Andrés San Martín, Jonathan Santana, Gabriel Loeschbor, Diego Galván and promising future prospect Gustavo Oberman.
Rather than counting on established stars, River’s new approach is to bring up talent from the youth ranks, and although its team doesn’t look as strong on paper, it will definitely sacrifice everything to bring down its bitter rivals. Other players that might make the difference are playmaker Marcelo Gallardo and striker Ernesto Farías, both of whom have been playing below their abilities this season.
Recent Action
Boca comes into the derby in top form after edging out Tiro Federal 2-1 last week for its fifth consecutive victory in the league. The same can’t be said for River, which lost for the fifth time in 10 Aperatura matches, this time 2-1 against Olimpo of Bahia Blanca. Boca is favored to win the match and take home three points, but never count out the Millonarios, who, along with the backing of their loyal fans, will strive to put an end to their miserable spell against their arch-enemies.
Gregory Sica
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Keep up the good work, bookmarked and referred a couple of friends.
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