Xeneize fans walked away from the continental stage with a sting after the final, their minds already turning toward a difficult path to revenge. The road back to glory isn’t simple, and the only clear route ahead demands perseverance and smart planning in the months to come.
The fervor around Boca Juniors’ bid to lift the Libertadores Cup for the seventh time in 2023 collided head-on with a determined Fluminense side. The match finished 2-1 after extra time, granting the Brazilian club its first continental crown and leaving Boca with a hard-earned lesson and a renewed hunger for success. With the trophy in exile for another year, the club pivots to the future, focused on the 2024 edition and the ways to reassert itself on South America’s grandest stage. The logic is straightforward yet demanding: the path to triumph must be earned, not assumed, and the immediate impulse to retaliate must be tempered by a clear, practical plan.
THE COPA LIBERTADORES FINAL THAT BOCA LOST
As Boca relinquishes the opportunity to defend the Libertadores crown, the club weighs two primary avenues to climb back to prominence. Beyond the numerical realities on paper, the team also faces the practical constraint that a strong run in the domestic league is challenging. While there is a realistic chance to chase glory in domestic competition, it remains an uphill battle, and even then, securing a place in the Libertadores next year requires more than just luck.
The current annual standings show that Defensa y Justicia sits just behind the top cluster, with 58 points to Boca’s mark, nine points still to be decided. Rosario Central also sits at 58 but with a less favorable goal difference, while San Lorenzo sits at 57. A closer look reveals that Lanús and Estudiantes each hold 55, mirroring Jorge Almirón’s squad, and Belgrano trails with 54. In such a tight frame, the most viable direct route appears to be the national cup competition.
With a date still to be confirmed, potential fixture dates suggest Boca could meet Estudiantes in the semi-finals of the national cup around mid to late November. If the Xeneize can rally and defeat Pincha, the path will lead to a final stage that carries more at stake than the domestic trophy alone. The winner of the San Lorenzo versus Defensa y Justicia encounter would stand as a formidable opponent, turning every semifinal and final moment into a test of character, depth, and resilience. This crossroad underscores a broader reality: success will require more than one competitive string being pulled at the same time.
In this environment, Boca’s supporters and management alike recognize that a return to the Libertadores battlefield demands not just talent but also tactical clarity, squad depth, and a steady, long-term plan. The club’s focus is clear: maximize the chances in the national cup while keeping a sharp eye on the continental prize, ensuring that a future campaign is built with both immediate impact and sustained excellence in mind.