Palmeiras face River Plate again, a new setting from 1999 and 2020, see 👀 | OneFootball

The duel between River Plate and Palmeiras for the CONMEBOL Libertadores has a special history, and in 2025, once again the first part will be written at the Monumental de Núñez. However, the stage and context of the confrontation have changed significantly since the last decisive clashes.

In the 2020 semifinal, held during the pandemic, the Verdão faced the Argentinians in an empty stadium, without the traditional fervor of the millonaria fans. Additionally, the Monumental was under renovation, and the match took place at the Libertadores de América stadium, home of Independiente, in Avellaneda. Even without an audience, the night marked Palmeiras' history: a 3-0 victory, paving the way for qualification to the final and, subsequently, the title of America.

Back in 1999, the scenarios were different. Also in a Libertadores semifinal, Palmeiras faced River at a packed Monumental, with the strength of over 70,000 fans cheering on the Argentinians. At the time, the official capacity of the stadium was about 72,000 people. Verdão ended up losing 1-0 but turned it around at Palestra Itália with a historic 3-0 victory, advancing to the final and winning their first continental title.

Now, in 2025, the reunion will be in front of a renewed Monumental, with an expanded capacity of approximately 83,000 spectators — one of the largest in South America. The atmosphere promises to be of maximum pressure, different from the silence of the pandemic and even the atmosphere of 1999, when the stadium hosted a smaller crowd compared to today.

AND NOW?

Palmeiras visits River Plate on Wednesday (17th), at 9:30 PM (Brasília time), for the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals. In the Brasileirão, the team returns to the field next Saturday (20th), when they host Fortaleza at Allianz Parque.

Upcoming Palmeiras matches

Palmeiras vs. Fortaleza – Brasileirão – 09/20 (Saturday), 9 PM (Brasília time)

River Plate vs. Palmeiras – Libertadores – 09/17 (Wednesday), 9:30 PM (Brasília time)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.