Copa Libertadores 2017

Santos won't be Brazil's first four-time Libertadores winner - at least not this year. Levir Culpi with a conservative deployment of two defending midfielders, plus Lucas Lima's absence, and Barcelona of Guayaquil with a 1-0 win to advance to the semifinals. Santos' fate could have easily been different if Lima and Renato & Victor Ferraz, all starters, had been available. Oh well.

Barcelona turning into a terror for Brazilians. It beat Botafogo and now eliminated both Palmeiras and Santos.

Botafogo's storybook run in this Libertadores - eliminating Colo Colo and Olimpia to reach the group stage and then victories over Estudiantes, Atl.-Nacional, and two round of 16 wins against Nacional - is over. But Botafogo lost by only 1-0 and should be proud of itself. With more than 10 rounds to go in the Campeonato Brasileiro, it'd be great if Botafogo returned in 2018 with an even better team.

Grêmio did not play too well in the first half, but its performance drastically improved once Lucas Barrio scored. I viewed Grêmio as a team that would definitely win a major title in 2017; the Copa do Brasil is out of reach now, but Grêmio is 2nd in Brazil's league and is now in the Libertadores final four. Grêmio best watch out against Barcelona, but I do wonder if the Ecuadorian team's 2 red-carded players - Gabriel Marques and Jonathan Alvez - will be sorely missed when Grêmio faces Barcelona.

If Jorge Wilstermann holds its own tomorrow, we'll have a truly international Libertadores semifinal - Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. But the matches must be played first.

 

I dont care for all this noise,all I know is my Barcelona won ,next up Gremio.

 

True. Having said that, Barcelona has demonstrated good soccer in this tournament. If they reach the final, they'd have a realistic chance of winning it all. But Grêmio is in the way and credit to Grêmio for making it this far. I still believe that Grêmio has an excellent chance to win either the Campeonato Brasileiro or the Copa Libertadores.

Two more matches tonight.

 

I think you are right. The only problem here is that this guy seems like a really bad referee. Both teams will likely be anxious already and with these sudden changes things will be tense, tense. Knowing Argentinian barra bravas I'm sure both team's players have gotten plenty of threats. Must see TV but also might be a really crap game.

 

Not just players but fans as well unfortunately...

910815245576425474 is not a valid tweet id

 

For me, this is like a dream. It immediately takes me back to 1981 when Wilstermann was the greatest Bolivian team and we had Jairzinho and Gaston Taborga (who is from my school, San Agustin). That was the last time Wilstermann ever made it so far in Copa Libertadores. That's also the team in my avatar.

 

Thank God there won't be a huge break between now and the semifinals like it was when the last Bolivian club made it to the semis. But I'm getting ahead of myself. First things, first: tonight. Good luck to your club; I know they're gonna come through!

 

Thanks. I hate to say this because this can come back to bite you but right now it's Wilster's golden chance and they really have it right in their hand. I don't say this out of fanatismo but just analysis of their games. River need three goals and Wilstermann is prepared to pack the box and contest all shots. In their game against Atl Mineiro they gave up the ball but they also contested every shot. There were no clear opportunities for the Brazilians. I think asking for three goals from River Plate is a lot. Even an early goal will not be enough for them. Zenteno and Silva are at their best when playing near the goal and not needing to run. Olivares is clearly class. In general, the team is experienced and will not get nervous. Edit: Also, just finding out that River are down their two top goal scorers.

That said..... River has a lot of quality and and a red card or an injury or two early goals will do the trick. That can happen. So it's not impossible for them.

 

I happen to agree with this only that I would say 30mins rather than 20mins.

If #Wilstermann can keep it 0-0 by the 20th min, #RiverPlate are done. If not, River have a chance... #CopaLibertadores https://t.co/s9kkA38qFn

— The Bolivian Yank (@TheBolivianYank) September 21, 2017

That being said, if Wilstermann scores at any given point in the game, then forget the above... the game is pretty much over.

 

What would be your cutoff? The more I think about, I change my 30mins to 0-0 at the half.

 

How about 2-0 at 13'...?

That was fast...

 

Wilstermann is getting punked in El Monumental. This smells like goleada.

 

The locals are pressing, and Jorge Wilstermann did not withstand. It reminds me a bit of of the return leg of the River Plate-Cruzeiro matchup in 2014.

Wilstermann is already down 3-0. This alone guarantees PKs. River can't keep pressing at this intensity until halftime, but it may not need to now.

Let's see if Wilstermann can stabilize the match.

 

Vamos la puta madre👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚪️❤️⚪️

— Sebastián Driussi (@SebadriussiOk) September 21, 2017