Junior vs Boca Juniors Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Wednesday’s Copa Libertadores action sees Colombians Junior hosting Argentines Boca in a crunch clash. Both sides arrive desperate for a result in what is a massive match.

Junior arrive knowing that a win would put them through to the next round and leave Boca out of the competition. Nonetheless, anything less would leave Los Tiburones in big trouble, with them having to travel to Brazilians Palmeiras in the final round of fixtures, whilst their opponents here face group whipping boys Alianza Lima at home.

Julio Comesaña’s troops started their Libertadores campaign in terrible fashion, losing 3-0 at home to Palmeiras and 1-0 away at Boca themselves, but have now put themselves in a healthy position after doing the double over Alianza in recent weeks. Whilst facing Boca always represents a big test, Junior will arrive confident in picking up the win they need, having remarkably won 7 of their last 8 home games in the competition.

Meanwhile, Boca arrive under huge pressure, with their performance levels having dropped substantially in recent weeks. Domestically, their lead has been cut from 15 points to just 3 and although they have a game in hand on second placed Godoy Cruz, after their weekend game was postponed, the league should have been wrapped up long ago and the fact the race is still open with three games left to play is a big concern.

Libertadores-wise Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s men find themselves in even bigger trouble and Schelotto’s job will surely be at threat if they lose this game. Fans had come into the campaign demanding what would be a seventh Libertadores title but after winning just 1 of their opening 4 group games, El Xeneize are on the brink of what would be an embarrassing elimination.

Like most people, we had Boca down as one of the favourites to lift the crown but one cannot deny that the visitors find themselves in big trouble and aren’t playing well at all at the moment. Goalkeeper Agustín Rossi is committing error after error and it remains to be seen if he’ll even line up in goal on Wednesday evening.

We fancy Junior to win the match and feel backing them to do so provides good value. The side rarely fail to turn up on continental evening at the Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez and against a Boca side in a vulnerable state with a weight of pressure on their shoulders, it’s hard to envisage that changing. Whilst play is likely to be tight given what’s a stake, Boca don’t look prepared mentally for such a difficult trip and we can see them crashing out via a 1-0 defeat.