Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
On May 20, 2025, Boca Juniors and Independiente will clash in a quarterfinal playoff match of the Argentine Apertura championship. Let's take a closer look at the teams' scoring potential in this showdown.
Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors finished the regular season in second place, collecting 33 points—the same as Argentinos Juniors, but losing out on goal difference. Despite a strong group stage performance, the team faced difficulties in the round of 16: their match against Lanús ended in a goalless draw, and only a penalty shootout allowed the "Blue and Gold" to advance. Overall, Boca is experiencing a slight downturn—winless in their last three matches: a 1-2 defeat to River Plate, a 1-1 draw with Tigre, and that 0-0 stalemate with Lanús. However, their home run is impressive—unbeaten in 14 straight matches across all competitions at their own stadium.
It's worth noting that the last four home meetings between Boca and Independiente ended in draws, with three of them being goalless (0-0), highlighting the traditionally cautious nature of their encounters.
Independiente
Independiente finished third in Group B during the regular season, earning 29 points with a goal difference of 23 scored and only 12 conceded. In the round of 16 playoffs, they edged past Independiente Rivadavia with a narrow 1-0 victory, extending their winning streak to three matches. In two of those games, they kept a clean sheet. However, matches involving the "Reds" have generally lacked fireworks—just one of their last six outings saw more than 2.5 goals scored.
Independiente have struggled on the road: only one victory in their last six away games, and that came in the Copa Sudamericana against Boston River (5-1), an outlier in an otherwise winless streak.
Head-to-head against Boca Juniors, Independiente haven't fared well—just one win in the last 10 encounters, with three losses and six draws.
Key facts and head-to-head stats
- Boca Juniors are unbeaten in 10 of their last 12 matches.
- Boca Juniors have won 8 of their last 9 home games.
- Independiente have won 3 of their last 4 matches.
- Independiente have lost 3 of their last 4 away games.
- Boca Juniors are unbeaten in 8 of their last 9 head-to-head meetings.
Probable lineups
- Boca Juniors: Marchesín, Blanco, Blondel, Costa, Battaglia, Zenón, Delgado, Belmonte, Merentiel, Palacios, Velasco.
- Independiente: Rey, Angulo, Valdez, Lomonaco, Vera, Loyola, Marcone, Millán, Cabral, Montiel, Jiménez.
Match prediction: Boca Juniors vs Independiente
This match promises to be tight and low-scoring: both sides employ a cautious approach, and their head-to-head meetings are typically low on goals and open play. Boca Juniors look like slight favorites thanks to their confident home run and more consistent form. A narrow scoreline is highly probable, and the most logical prediction is "both teams to score – no" at odds of 1.58.
