Tue Feb 25 22:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Boca Juniors Faces Must-Win Libertadores Clash Amidst Storm Warnings and Social Media Taunts

**Buenos Aires, Argentina** – Boca Juniors faces a crucial Copa Libertadores match against Alianza Lima tonight, needing a victory to advance to the next round. The match kicks off at 8:30 PM local time (various times across the Americas). The game will be broadcast on Disney+, Telefé, and Fox Sports.

Coach Fernando Gago has deployed a strong starting XI, including Edinson Cavani and Agustín Marchesín, who was the hero of the first leg. However, the team faces a challenging weather forecast, with the National Meteorological Service issuing a warning for isolated thunderstorms in Buenos Aires during the match. Temperatures are expected to range between 24°C and 29°C.

The atmosphere is already charged. Alianza Lima, who won the first leg 1-0, fueled the tension with a provocative social media post depicting former Boca player Carlos Zambrano preparing a barbecue, the meat adorned with a Boca Juniors flag. The accompanying message, “Toda la carne al asador” (“All the meat on the grill”) and “Esta noche cueste lo que cueste” (“Tonight, no matter the cost”), further escalated tensions.

These social media antics follow earlier comments from Alianza Lima coach Néstor Gorosito, who expressed concerns about officiating at La Bombonera, calling the stadium’s mystique “biri biri y todo sanata” (nonsense). Zambrano also added fuel to the fire, downplaying Cavani’s return to the starting lineup.

Boca legend Jorge “Chino” Benítez countered Gorosito’s comments, confidently predicting a Boca victory. Conmebol regulations state that a one-goal Boca win will send the tie to penalties, with extra time only used in the final.

Boca’s form going into this match is concerning. They haven’t won a knockout stage match in the Copa Libertadores since December 2020. The return of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, who has recovered from a bone edema, offers a glimmer of hope for the struggling Argentine giants.

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