Bogeyman? Boca Juniors under the microscope, Vasco's rivals | OneFootball

Vasco will face traditional powerhouse Boca Juniors in a direct battle for a place in the Copa Sudamericana final. Confirmation of the continental showdown came after the Argentine club eliminated São Paulo right at MorumBIS, securing qualification with a 1-0 win in the first leg and a 1-1 draw in the second, setting two South American giants on a collision course in the coming weeks of October, with the decisive match scheduled for Rio de Janeiro.

Far from displaying the overwhelming dominance of the early 2000s, the xeneize side entered the secondary tournament after suffering an early exit in the Copa Libertadores group stage, finishing third in the group led by Cruzeiro. Under coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena, hired after the World Cup, the blue-and-gold squad has put together an impressive run of 13 matches unbeaten, posting a 2026 season record of 19 wins, 14 draws and eight losses in 41 matches, sitting fifth in its domestic group with a high number of draws.

+ Vasco will face Boca Juniors in the Sudamericana semifinal with the second leg at home

World Cup-winning leadership at Boca Juniors

The main technical threat facing Vasco goes by the name of Leandro Paredes, the 32-year-old defensive midfielder and World Cup winner with Argentina, who runs the engine room for Boca Juniors. Having had standout spells with giants such as Roma, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, the midfielder returned to South American football in excellent physical condition and serves as the leader of a promising generation that includes the aerial security of center back Di Lollo, the dynamism of youngster Milton Delgado and the boldness of winger Leonel Flores, who provided a decisive pass in the previous round.

Not everyone in the Buenos Aires squad, however, is enjoying a moment of glory ahead of the knockout tie. Experienced Ecuadorian center forward Enner Valencia, formerly of Internacional, recently arrived in the neighboring capital but remains relegated to the bench amid underwhelming performances and public criticism from supporters, showing that the team draws more strength from collective tactical discipline and physical dominance in contested duels than from the brilliance of its penalty-box strikers.

Leandro Paredes of Boca Juniors during the match against São Paulo in the Copa Sudamericana. — Photo: REUTERS/Rodrigo Valle

Bombonera factor and decision in Rio

The first clash between Vasco and Boca Juniors will put the historic weight of La Bombonera to the test, the cauldron in Buenos Aires with capacity for more than 57,000 spectators. Although the hermanos no longer inspire the unquestioned fear of other eras and rely on pragmatic performances to move forward, their defensive solidity and cup mystique command the utmost respect from the Rio side, which will have the advantage of deciding the qualifier on home soil in Rio de Janeiro state.

Pedro Emanuel’s Portuguese coaching staff will use the free weeks in the schedule to map out weaknesses in the opposition defense’s ground transition and neutralize the dangerous set pieces coming from midfield. Expectations behind the scenes point to a duel of extreme intensity, in which psychological consistency and making the most of chances in both capitals will determine who moves on to the major continental final.

Vasco will face a South American giant – Photo: Disclosure / Conmebol

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