(Spanish CNN) — They compete all the time. They clash on the field, in cafes and challenge each other at every turn. Boca and River are aware of what their eternal rival always does. Looking for the date of each duel in the Argentine national tournament is almost a ritual, as is being very attentive to possible shocks of magnitude such as the challenges of the biggest football event in South America, the Copa Libertadores.
“Right now there is a 50% chance that Boca and River will meet in the Round of 16,” said Juan José Buscaglia, emcee of Conmebol’s top tournament with Helena Calil. It was a moment without time. Eternal. The hearts of River and Boca fans were paralyzed when they warned that a crystallization of the duel in the playoffs round of 16 was highly likely. It was not given. River will face Internacional de Porto Alegre, and Boca will face Nacional de Uruguay. In the main frame, xénéizes And millionaires They were each on opposite sides, so they will only face each other in a hypothetical final.
What is the path they must travel to reach the presumed final?
Probable route of River Plate
In River’s case, they will have to overcome the difficult hurdle of facing Internacional de Porto Alegre in the Round of 16. In the event of an unscathed exit from this key, in the quarter-finals, there could be another brave obstacle, Athletico Paranaense (last runner-up in the contest). The Curitiba team is the favorite against Bolívar (Bolivia).
If you also avoid this difficult challenge, at the bottom of the table there are formidable teams and others that must be respected.
Argentinians and Fluminense are measured in eighths. The Argentinos are a good team and they are strong at home. He Floo is preferred. The winner of this duel would collide with the winner of the duel between Flamengo (last champion) against Olimpia (Paraguay). He Florida is clearly the favourite.
It would not be unreasonable to make a projection in which we would place the clash between Flamengo and Fluminense in the quarterfinals. It is one of the most fascinating and important classics in South America and perhaps the greatest in all of Brazil. If this anticipated final were to materialize, it would be a duel of extreme parity, although Flamengo, due to its three disputed finals in the last four editions, with two coronations, would arrive with a more mystical cut and an air of favoritism in this crucial instance. The winner could face River Plate in the eventual semi-final.
He Floo they crushed River 5-1 at home on a dream night for the Brazilians in the group stage. In the rematch, River won 2-0. If there was a clash with Flamengo, it would be the duel that already took place in the Copa Libertadores final in 2019, in which the Florida he beat River at the end of the big game 2-1, managing to turn things around.

(Credit: Diego Haliasz/Getty Images)
After climbing this steep mountain full of ravines and gravel, River was just about to reach the final. It’s a very complex scenario, but not impossible for a team with a formidable hierarchy like those led by Martín Demichelis.
The potential path of Boca Juniors
The Boca route is no less favorable. In the round of 16, they must face Nacional of Uruguay. Exam as difficult as it is slippery.
If this key is passed, Racing Club or Atlético Nacional (Colombia) awaits him in the quarter-finals. The Argentinian team is a slight favourite. There would be a big clash between the xeneize and the Academy.
Meanwhile, at the top of the table are four high-caliber teams, two of which are particularly well-groomed.
On the one hand, Deportivo Pereira (Colombia) or Independiente del Valle (Ecuador) will reach the quarter-finals.
One of these two teams will face the winner of the great challenge that Atlético Mineiro will organize against Palmeiras. The Brazilians are of these four teams, clearly superior. El Mineiro is playing very well and growing in strength in their football. Palmeiras were the best team in the first phase. He has also won two of the last four Copa Libertadores. If Boca reached the semi-finals, it wouldn’t be strange if the TRUE (Palmeiras). It would be a reissue of memorable duels from the first decade of the 2000s.
It’s a road full of difficulties, but the team of Jorge Almirón (TD de Boca) is made up of hierarchical players, with a very mystical jersey and also very hungry for glory.
If Boca and River reach the second final against each other in the Copa Libertadores, as expected by Conmebol, it will be on November 4 at the Maracaná stage. Rio de Janeiro will become a football branch of Argentina for a few days. It would be a seismic moment for the prestigious contest.

Boca Juniors supporters cheer on their team during a match between Boca Juniors and River Plate in the 2022 Professional League at Alberto J. Armando Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Credit: Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images
Carlos Bianchi and Marcelo Gallardo, responsible for increasing the competitiveness and excitement of the great Argentine classic
Both are heroes in their institutions. They are untouchable gods. Both filled Boca and River with accomplishments. Boca, with the “Viceroy” as DT, won three editions of the Copa Libertadores (2000, 2001, 2003). The “Doll” has twice won the best South American contest (2015 and 2018).
It has been two decades since South America was gripped by rivalry which has grown exponentially. Let’s go back to all the duels between the two titans of Argentina in this prestigious tournament. It is that in addition to winning, sporting pride is at stake, the folkloric rivalry of its fans and the jubilation of pretending to feel bigger than the other.
Copa Libertadores clashes
River Plate and Boca Juniors have met in 28 games. The stats put Xeneize at the top with 11 wins, while nine were millionaire wins, and eight games ended evenly. Although the team from the neighborhood of Núñez (River) has something substantial in its favor: it has been more successful in direct crossings. He was the winner of three of the five head-to-head matches they played, while Boca prevailed in the other two.