SEATTLE - For the second time in 2024, River Plate and Boca Juniors will square off. The duel comes just a few weeks after their first meeting of the year, a 1-1 draw at River's Estadio Monumental. But this time around, there's more at stake: a semifinal berth in the Copa de la Liga Profesional.
On Sunday, April 21, both teams will clash at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, located in the city of Córdoba. It is expected to be a historic day even before kickoff, as it will be the first time both sets of fans share a stadium since that historic 2018 Copa Libertadores final in Madrid, where River Plate defeated Boca Juniors 3-1.
The winner of the quarterfinal tie will face the either Estudiantes La Plata or Barracas Central.
In the historical head-to-head, the 'Xeneizes' lead with 91 wins to River's 86, with the two having drawn another 84 times.
At the domestic cup level, River Plate is the team with the positive record, having won five of the previous 15 clashes. Boca Juniors only won two such games.
Boca Juniors arrives to the match in good form, having won five of its last six games in all competitions (5-0-1 W-L-D) and only allowing two goals in the process. Diego Martínez' side is led by Edinson Cavani, who has had a phenomenal 2024 so far, leading the team with eight goals in 12 games played this year.
The Uruguayan has vastly improved his form compared to his first season at the club, where he only managed to score three goals for Boca Juniors in 2023.
They will need Cavani to be at his best if they want to snap their winless streak against their archrivals, as they remain winless against the 'Millonario' since September of 2022. Their current streak of four games without a win vs River Plate is their longest such streak since a 6-game winless run between 2018-19 that included the infamous 2018 Copa Libertadores loss.
The red and whites arrive to the "Superclásico" with just one loss so far this year. The team managed by former defender Martín Demichelis has been on a roll lately, accounting for a record of 12-1-6 W-L-D since December 23rd of last year.
Colombian striker Miguel Borja will be River's biggest threat over the weekend. With 13 goals in 15 games so far this season, the Colombian is having his best moments since he signed for River Plate in 2022. Despite being a tremendous goal scorer, Borja has only managed to score one goal against the 'Xeneizes' in eight career games against them.
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