Boca Juniors in the Libertadores: A Chronicle of Group Stage Trips and Knockout Runs

Boca Juniors made its Libertadores debut in 2023 against Monagas in Venezuela, and the performance was solid from the start, signaling strong intent in the group stage.

February 20, 2003 — Boca 2-0 Independiente Medellín

The Xeneize opened the tournament in impressive fashion, taking a 2-0 win at La Bombonera in their Group 7 kickoff and ultimately advancing with a 5-1 aggregate victory over Santos in Brazil.

February 18, 2004 — Bolivar 3-1 Boca

The first clash at altitude in La Paz proved challenging for Boca, who nevertheless reached the tournament final. A 1-1 draw forced a penalty shootout against Once Caldas, where Boca could not convert their spot-kicks and suffered a historic narrow loss.

February 17, 2005 — Deportivo Cuenca 0-0 Boca

In this edition, Boca topped Group 8 to reach the round of 16, but were eliminated by Chivas after a 4-0 deficit in Mexico and a goalless home draw at La Bombonera.

February 14, 2007 — Bolivar 0-0 Boca

On the road to the knockout rounds, Boca managed a clean sheet to secure a single point from Group 7, enough to push through. Months later, they celebrated another cup triumph by beating Gremio 5-0.

February 21, 2008 — Maracaibo Union 1-1 Boca

The first group game in Venezuela ended all square. That edition saw Boca fall to Fluminense in the semifinals, eliminated on aggregate after an even contest.

February 18, 2009 — Boca 1-0 Deportivo Cuenca

Although Boca led Group 2 and advanced as group leaders, their campaign ended in the round of 16 with a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Defensor Sporting, a result that tempered the early optimism of the run.

February 14, 2012 — Zamora 0-0 Boca

After missing two editions, Boca returned to reach the final again. Corinthians needed to lose to allow Boca to advance; a 1-1 draw at La Bombonera followed by a 2-0 victory in Brazil sealed progress.

February 14, 2013 — Boca 1-2 Toluca

From the outset, Boca’s Copa Libertadores campaign hit a rocky note. The eventual exit came in the quarterfinals against Newell’s, after a dramatic 10-9 shootout loss in the decider.

February 18, 2015 — Palestino 0-2 Boca

This Libertadores edition is remembered for a notorious pepper spray incident. Boca exited in the round of 16 after River Plate were attacked at La Bombonera, while River would go on to become champions in a separate arc.

February 25, 2016 — Deportivo Cali 0-0 Boca

Boca’s latest cup appearance began with a draw in Colombia in Group 3 and ended in the semifinals, where Xeneize fell to Independiente del Valle by 5-3 on aggregate.

March 1, 2018 — Lima Alliance 0-0 Boca

Once again, the debut finished in a stalemate. The squad, dealing with injuries, battled to a goalless draw against Alianza Lima after a high-emotion match.

March 6, 2019 — Wilstermann 0-0 Boca

Like the 2018 opener, the match in flight remained scoreless for most of the night. Boca’s defense, anchored by Andrada, kept the sheet while Nández found chances that narrowly missed the target.

March 3, 2020 — Caracas 1-1 Boca

In the first Libertadores under the Ameal-Riquelme era, Boca opened Group H away in Venezuela, with Ramón Ábila giving the team the lead before Robert Hernández replied with a well-struck free kick. The campaign ended with a semi-final appearance that year, after a 3-0 loss to Santos in Brazil.

April 21, 2021 — The Strongest 0-1 Boca

Boca claimed a rapid winner in La Paz, Sebastian Villa finding the net after seven minutes. The team was drawn in Group C alongside the Bolivians, Barcelona, and Santos. The run ended in the round of 16 after a tough matchup with Atlético Mineiro, where contentious refereeing was a talking point.

April 5, 2022 — Deportivo Cali 2-0 Boca

Guillermo Burdisso and Jhon Vásquez punished Boca’s defense at home on the opening day, yet the side progressed before a knockout-stage exit to Corinthians, with Benedetto’s late opportunities left unconverted.

April 6, 2023 — Monagas 0-0 Boca

Boca faced numerical disadvantages — Valdez’s red card reduced the squad to nine — yet managed to hold on for a goalless draw that underlined resilience in challenging conditions. The tie exposed the squad’s resolve when outnumbered, and the season continued with a steady push forward.

Attribution: This compilation draws on historical match reports and summaries from major sports outlets, including match recaps and photographic coverage, with consolidated notes for context and continuity.