After a long wait, the Libertadores 2023 semifinals are about to begin. While Fluminense will open the series with Internacional on Wednesday, September 27, Boca Juniors will host Palmeiras at La Bombonera the following day.
Although the rematch in Brazil is still a few days away, Juan Román Riquelme already predicts a complicated duel at the home of Verdão. The former player and current vice president of Xeneize explained that the synthetic grass at Allianz Parque will be an important factor in this match-up.
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Riquelme anticipates the duel between Boca and Palmeiras
“Even though they are not flashy, they know what they are playing and we are going to have to go play on a carpet court, which is not the same as dirt. We take that into account,” said Riquelme in conversation with ESPN about Palmeiras and its stadium.
Although he managed to get among the four best in the region, Boca’s present is not the best. Those led by Jorge Almirón are in ninth place in Zone B of the Argentine Professional League Cup, with seven points in six games.
Therefore, the former midfielder maintains that the team has aspects to correct: “If we want to go to the end in both the Argentine Cup and the Copa Libertadores, it is clear that we have to improve. It’s very clear. We are confident because we believe we have good players, with a lot of experience, and with the support of the people we believe that on Thursday we are going to play a good game.”
“I know that here the coach talks a lot with the older players. From my place what I can say is that when you are in the semifinal of the Copa Libertadores, whether you like it or not, you have your head in it. And it happens often. Unconsciously. It happened to me that in the Cup matches I was in all my senses and in the Argentine tournament perhaps not. It is happening to us at times and people make us feel it.”
Boca and Palmeiras will meet on Thursday, September 28 at 9:30 p.m. (local time) in the first leg semifinal at La Bombonera. A week later, they will meet in São Paulo at the same time for the return match.
