The round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores de América was drawn in Asunción with four Argentine teams among which will participate in this phase and historic duels will be reissued, such as the key between Boca and Nacional from Uruguay.
Boca, River, Racing and Argentinos Juniors are the representatives of Argentina in the contest.
The “Millionaire” and the “Bug” will have, perhaps, the bravest stops against Internacional and Fluminense from Brazil, while “Xeneize” and “La Academia” will face Nacional from Uruguay and Atlético Nacional from Colombia.
Jorge Almirón’s team will play against “Bolso” from Montevideo in what is, perhaps, the duel with the most cup history of the draw for this phase.
In the last century, there was only one crossover in official Conmebol competitions between boquenses and bolsilludos: the round of 16 series of the 1991 Supercopa Sudamericana where they tied 1-1 at La Bombonera but, in the second leg at the Centenario Stadium, those led by Oscar Washington Tabárez fell 2-0 at the hands of the Uruguayans.
From 2000 onwards, the Boca and Nacional clash began to become recurring in international cups where they played two series, one in the 2006 Copa Sudamericana and another in the 2016 Copa Libertadores, and shared a group on two occasions.
In numbers, the history is in favor of the Montevideans with three wins, two draws and only two wins for “Xeneize” being their last 1-0 10 years ago at the Centenario Stadium for Group 1 of the Copa Libertadores.
After a complex group phase, Martín Demichelis’s team advanced to the round of 16 and will face “Colorado” from Porto Alegre, whom they have only faced twice in their history, both drawing 2-2, in Argentina and Brazil, for Group A. of the Libertadores 2019.
River will appeal to make the difference in the first leg at the Monumental Stadium since it does not have good statistics in its visits to Brazilian soil: 9 wins, 13 draws and 27 losses in 49 presentations.
Fernando Gago’s Racing came to this stage after performing very well in their group and, therefore, will face Atlético Nacional de Colombia with the advantage of defining at the Juan Domingo Perón Stadium in Avellaneda.
Between academics and Medellinians, the history marks a single precedent: the round of 16 series of the 1989 Copa Libertadores.
In the first leg at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellín, “Verde” won 2-0 comfortably and in the second leg, “Academia” recovered and won 2-0, equalizing the series but, with four minutes to go, Felipe Pérez Urrea discounted and gave the pass to the quarterfinals to the Colombians who would later end up being champions of that edition.
For its part, Gabriel Milito’s Argentinos Juniors will clash against Fluminense and will reissue a cross that is remembered more for the violence between players than for football itself: The 4-2 victory of “Tricolor”, in La Paternal, to eliminate al “Bicho” in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores 2011 unleashed a pitched battle between the two teams that to this day is remembered on social networks.
Despite this precedent, the history highlights three more clashes between those from Paternal and those from Rio de Janeiro: 2-2 at the Maracaná Stadium for Group 3 of the Libertadores 2011 and two 1-0 victories, both in Argentina and in Brazil, of Argentinos Juniors in Group 1 of the 1985 edition, which José Yudica’s team would end up conquering.
Source: Ambito
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