FARO, PORTUGAL - AUGUST 2: Gianluca Prestianni of SL Benfica during the pre-season friendly match between Benfica and Fulham at Estadio Algarve on August 2, 2024 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)
Boca Juniors, from Copa Libertadores Disaster to Absolute Reign in the Sudamericana?
“The Xeneize team lost their third consecutive final of the major continental tournament, but now they have the opportunity to make history in ‘the other half of glory’.”
If there’s one illustrious team that will surely miss the Copa Libertadores in its 2024 edition, it’s Boca Juniors. The team from La Ribera failed to secure their ticket after a forgettable last semester of 2023, during which they suffered another tremendous setback in the major continental tournament.
After losing the two previous finals, Boca faced Fluminense in the last match. It was their third chance to win their seventh Libertadores title and equal Independiente as the team with the most titles in the tournament, but the popular saying that the third time’s the charm was not going to come true on this occasion.
Not even the presence of Edinson Cavani on the Maracanã pitch brought luck to the Xeneize, who suffered defeat in the final once again, as they did in 2012 and 2018. Fans will especially remember this last one with bitterness. It was their eternal rival, River Plate, who left them empty-handed in that final played at the Santiago Bernabéu.
