Boca Juniors vs Fluminense tips & Copa Libertadores odds
Brazilians to come out on top
The biggest game in South American club football is upon us and Saturday’s showdown will present a clash of styles.
Fluminense have lit up the tournament with their attack-minded approach. They have scored 22 goals in 12 games, including 12 in their six matches in the knockout phase.
Fernando Diniz’s side booked their spot in the final courtesy of a 4-3 victory over Internacional in the semis. Two late goals in the second leg turned that tie on its head.
Boca Juniors have mostly been solid rather than spectacular. Their 12 matches up to now have produced just 12 goals, while Boca needed a penalty shoot-out to win all three of their knockout games.
The Argentinians, managed by Jorge Almiron, are certainly resilient and they will look to make life difficult for Fluminense by disrupting their rhythm.
Boca’s players, a group which includes Edinson Cavani, Sergio Romero and the captain Marcos Rojo (who is suspended for the final) will also look to draw on the club’s rich history in the Libertadores.
But if Fluminense play to their potential, they should have too much for Boca. Diniz, who is also the interim Brazil coach, is an innovative thinker. Boca could be in danger of being overwhelmed.
Bear in mind, too, that Fluminense will be playing at their home stadium in Rio de Janeiro. That is another reason to consider whether to back the Brazilians on new sports betting sites to triumph.
Fluminense will play usual game
If Boca Juniors are to pull off a minor upset with bookmakers here, they will have to deliver a particularly disciplined performance.
Almiron’s men are certainly capable of frustrating opponents, but Fluminense are the type of team that excel at pulling other sides out of shape.
If Diniz’s side were to open the scoring, Boca would have to take a few more risks. Ultimately, that could play into Fluminense’s hands.
The first goal of the game will be vital, then, and the Brazilians, in particular, will be keen to get it early on.
There have been goals in both halves in two of the four Libertadores finals held since the showpiece event changed from a two-legged affair to a one-off match.
Given Fluminense’s approach and the fact that Boca may have to open up more than they would like, goals either side of the interval looks like a distinct possibility.
Boca Juniors may draw a blank
It is not just the Boca Juniors team that contains a few household names. For fans of the European game, Fluminense’s most recognisable player is the former Real Madrid left-back Marcelo, who is given the freedom to pop up all over the pitch.
Paulo Henrique Ganso, a former team-mate of Neymar at Santos, is also key to the Brazilian team’s game plan. Further forward, German Cano is the Libertadores’ top scorer by some distance - he has scored 12 goals, the same amount as every Boca player combined.
Another Fluminese talent to keep an eye on is reported Arsenal and Liverpool transfer target Andre. This could be the 22-year-old defensive midfielder's last game for the club ahead of a potential January move.
The Brazilian is odds-on to be booked in the final, while he's 15/2 with Unibet to sign off with a rare goal.
Boca Juniors are one of the biggest clubs in South America. But the current iteration has not been especially impressive in this season’s Libertadores.
Boca have not won a single match in the knockout phase. In four of those six matches, they failed to score.
Fluminense are better going forward than they are at the back, but a clean sheet will still be in their sights at the Maracana this weekend.
A London-based football specialist, Greg Lea has written for multiple top publications including The Guardian and ESPN with coverage of the Premier League, Champions League and World Cup. He contributes football betting tips to The Independent.
