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      Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas

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      koolkidda
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      Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas
      Jun 12, 2007 11:45:35 pm
      Lucas Leiva is due to shortly play his last two games for Gremio before transferring to Liverpool.

      Those two games are only the two legs of South America's version of our European Cup.

      The first leg is tomorrow as Gremio (Brasil) take on Boca Juniors (Argentina). The second leg is a week later.

      The following Article is from FoxSports ahead of tomorrow's clash.....


      http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/6914420

      BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - The biggest rivalry in South American soccerdom opens a new chapter Wednesday night as Boca Juniors welcomes Brazilian challenger Gremio for the opener of the two-leg Copa Libertadores championship.

      But "welcome" is more protocol than sentiment.

      Boca manager Miguel Russo already has promised a furious attack from his front-line trio of Juan Roman Riquelme and strikers Martin Palermo and Rodrigo Palacio.

      Gremio, which has allowed 10 goals in 12 games, has vowed to press its own offense in quest of the premier South American club championship.

      Besides a possible sixth title for Boca and a third for Gremio, a berth in the Club World Championship also awaits the winner.

      Using the same lineup that overwhelmed Cucuta of Colombia in the second leg of the semifinals, Russo said Boca will be seeking to dominate Gremio from the outset by battering its defense.

      "Boca will go all out to win this," Russo said after a final training session Tuesday. "This is a Libertadores final that requires precision in the rival area and very tough defense."

      Striker Palermo said Boca would smother Gremio from the opening whistle.

      "We won't let Gremio even catch their breath," said the 33-year-old veteran, who has played in 23 Libertadores matches and was a member of the Boca championship team in 2000 before leaving to play in Spain.

      Gremio also will face tens of thousands of raucous Boca fans in Buenos Aires' notoriously intimidating "La Bombonera" - Spanish for "The Chocolate Box."

      The amplified acoustics of the squat, box-like stadium has given Boca the edge against many rivals, as it did last week against Cucuta when a dense fog shrouded the field and was a factor in its 3-0 victory - just enough to overcome a 2-0 first-leg loss in Colombia.

      About 45,000 Boca fans are expected to be on hand along with 2,000 from Gremio.

      The Brazilian club flew into Buenos Aires early Tuesday after fog delayed flights. Again, a factor could by heavy fog, which hampered vision last week and appeared to unsettle the Colombian side.

      But Gremio, from Brazil's southern "gaucho" territory near Argentina, is accustomed to playing in adverse conditions and is expected to draw on its young star Carlos Eduardo to deliver the counterpunch. Its players seemed unconcerned.

      "Boca will always be Boca, but soon they will see who is Gremio," Gremio defender Patrio said.

      Gremio insists it won't be intimidated - not even by La Bombonera.

      "We don't fear them," captain Tcheco said. "We're not afraid of La Bombonera nor Diego Maradona."

      Maradona, an ardent Boca fan, is often seen at Boca's stadium, providing inspiration and looming somewhat like a phantom.

      But Tcheco said Gremio eliminated Brazilian rival Santos in the semifinals last week with Pele watching from the stands - and expects to do the same with Boca and Maradona.

      Both Boca and Gremio have reached the finals with all their forces intact.

      Riguelme overcame a weekend cold that kept him from training and was expected to be in good condition Wednesday night. Palermo and Palacio also reach the final stage uninjured.

      Gremio's squad - which features Argentines Sebastian Saja in goal and backup defender Rolando Schiavi - rested Tuesday at a hotel in the Argentine capital as they huddled on strategy. The team was mulling whether to put Carlos Eduardo as a lone striker and bolster the midfield to block Boca's attacks down the wings.

      If Gremio Coach Mano Menezes settles on such a plan, midfielder Lucas would enter play for striker Douglas.

      "If we put three forwards to stop Boca down the sides they won't have as much freedom to run. But that would change our plan," Menezes said, without revealing his final decision.

      "Boca is a complicated rival, but our goal is to win," he said.


      There is a good article on Wiki about this years tournament, which bizarrely involved the teams in the semi-finals switching opponents to prevent an All-Brazil final.  And we thought UEFA were bad!

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copa_Libertadores_2007
      JD
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      Re: Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas
      Reply #1: Jun 13, 2007 10:28:32 pm
      Kick off is 1.45 am - the 1.45 in three hours time!

      There are some streams going to be available on this game. A bit too late for me but I will try and catch up with this first leg tomorrow.

      There's a SopCast stream available http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/wed13.6/Gremio_Boca.html
      EddieC
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      Re: Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas
      Reply #2: Jun 14, 2007 10:10:03 am
      BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Rodrigo Palacio, Pablo Ledesma and Juan Roman Riquelme scored as Boca Juniors pounded Brazil's Gremio 3-0 for the early lead in the two-leg Copa Libertadores championship on Wednesday.

      Palacio converted a left-footed tap in the 19th minute, Riquelme scored off a sizzling right-footed free kick in the 73rd, and Ledesma added the final goal in the 89th.

      Boca's second-half flurry came as Gremio struggled for most of the final period, its defense withering after being forced to play one man down from the 58th minute when Sandro Goiano was expelled for kicking Boca rival Ever Banega.

      In its quest for the championship, Boca heads to Porto Alegre, Brazil for the finale next Wednesday. Besides a possible sixth title for Boca — or a third for Gremio — a berth in the club world championship awaits the winner of Latin America's club championship.

      "We are content. We've won the match but now we will rest all week as there are still 90 minutes left to play," Riquelme said.

      He added he was pleased Gremio didn't score in a finale in which the visitor goals are worth double.

      Teammate Claudio Morel Rodriguez said Boca would not let up in its quest for a sixth Copa title.

      "The main thing is to win," he said. "But Gremio is a hard team and we must keep pressing on."

      In the 19th minute, playmaker Riquelme sent a free kick toward striker Martin Palermo, who ricocheted the ball to Palacio for a left-footed tap into the Gremio net beside the right post. Video replays showed Palermo arguably offside but the goal was allowed to stand.

      Throughout the first half, Gremio and Boca traded scoring threats. Boca goalkeeper Mauricio Caranta notably used his body to block a scoring attempt by striker Tuta in the 12th.

      In the second period, Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda expelled Goiano for a rough kick at Banega, who was not seriously hurt. Boca ratcheted up its offense with the man advantage.

      In the 73rd, Riquelme sent 45,000 mostly Boca fans thundering in the stands at the Argentine club's notoriously intimidating "La Bombonera" stadium: His right-footed free kick rocketed past Gremio's Argentine goalkeeper Sebastian Saja, who dove right too late to block the shot.

      Undeterred, a Gremio squad that has allowed 10 goals in 12 games, sought to keep up the defense. It also tried to attack, but increasingly found Boca pressing against its goalmouth — although Lucio missed two second-half free kick attempts in quick succession before Ledesma closed out the scoring.

      Riquelme, Boca's star playmaker, was the outstanding figure of the game as he set up Ledesma's final score with a center pass.

      Ardent Boca fan and soccer great Diego Maradona was among the crowd raucously cheering from the stands as blue-and-yellow confetti showered down amid a burst of fireworks at the Buenos Aires stadium.

      Boca won the Libertadores in 1977, 1978, 2000, 2001 and 2003. Gremio won in 1983 and 1995.



      Oh well, doesn't look like Lucas is gonna bow out on a high.
      JD
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      Re: Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas
      Reply #3: Jun 14, 2007 04:06:19 pm
      Oh well, doesn't look like Lucas is gonna bow out on a high.

      Yep Eddie - nobody ever comes back from 3-0 down...... ;)
      JD
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      Re: Copa Libertadores Final 2007...starring Lucas
      Reply #4: Jun 26, 2007 12:40:40 am
      Yep Eddie - nobody ever comes back from 3-0 down...... ;)

      Hate to quote myself, but seeing as everyone forgot. Gremio got beat 2-0 at home in the 2nd leg. Boca Juniors won 'number six' (the bas**rds) and Lucas Leiva will join Liverpool shortly after a holiday of commiseration.

      Let's just hope he joins us with some extra fire in his belly.

      Anyway, if you've got ten minutes spare... here are the highlights from the first and second legs

      First Leg (7 minutes highlights)
      Boca Juniors 3-0 Gremio
      Scorers (1-0 Palacio 2-0 Riquelme 3-0 Ledesma)


      Second Leg (3 minutes highlights)
      Gremio 0-2 Boca Juniors (0-5 on aggregate)
      Scorers (1-0 Riquelme 2-0 Riquelme)

      « Last Edit: Jun 26, 2007 12:46:19 am by JD »

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