The 2007 Copa Libertadores finals was a two-legged football match-up to determine the 2007 Copa Libertadores champion. The series was contested between Argentine club Boca Juniors and Brazilian club Grêmio. The first leg of the tie was played on June 13 at Boca Juniors' home field, La Bombonera, with the second leg played on June 20 at Gremio's Estádio Olímpico. Boca Juniors won the series 5–0 on aggregate,Copa Libertadores 2007 by Juan Pablo Andrés on the RSSSF achieving their sixth Copa Libertadores title.Copa Libertadores 2007 overview on Historia de Boca
Qualified teams TeamPrevious finals app. Boca Juniors 1963, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 Grêmio 1983, 1984, 1995
Venues
Route to the finals GrêmioBoca Juniors São Paulo A 0–1 Round of 16 First leg Vélez Sársfield H 3–0Riquelme 9'Palermo 61'Rodríguez 89' São PauloH2–0 Tcheco 17'Diego Souza 74'Second leg Vélez SársfieldA1–3 Bustos (o.g.) 32' Defensor Sporting A0–2 Quarterfinals First leg Libertad H1–1Palermo 90' Defensor SportingH2–0(p. 4–2) Tcheco 22' Teco 45'Second leg Libertad A2–0Riquelme 61'Palacio Santos H2–0 Tcheco 34'Carlos Eduardo 36' Semifinals First leg Cúcuta Deportivo A1–3 Ledesma 27' SantosA1–3Diego Souza 34'Second leg Cúcuta DeportivoH3–0Riquelme 44'Palermo 61' Battaglia 90'
Matches First leg
GK 12 Mauricio CarantaCB 4 Hugo Ibarra CB 6 Cata DíazCB 3 Claudio MorelRM 14 Rodrigo PalacioCM 8 Pablo LedesmaCM 24 Éver Banega LM 21 Clemente RodríguezAM 19 Neri Cardozo AM 10 Juan Román Riquelme CF 9 Martín Palermo (c) Substitutes:GK 25 Pablo MiglioreDF 2 Matías SilvestreMF 5 Sebastián Battaglia MF 11 Bruno Marioni MF 15 Guillermo MarinoFW 17 Mauro BoselliMF 23 Jesús Datolo Manager: Miguel Ángel Russo
GK 1 Sebastián SajaRB 2 Patrício CB 4 WilliamCB 14 TecoLB 16 LúcioDM 15 Sandro Goiano CM 10 Tcheco (c) CM 22 Diego GavilánAM 11 Carlos EduardoCF 9 Tuta CF 7 Diego SouzaSubstitutes:GK 12 GalattoDF 3 Rolando SchiaviMF 5 EdmílsonDF 6 Bruno TelesMF 8 Lucas Leiva MF 18 RamónFW 20 Douglas Manager: Mano Menezes
Man of the Match: Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors)
Assistant referees: Wálter Rial Edgardo Acosta Fourth official: Líber Prudente
Second leg
GK 1 Sebastián SajaRB 2 PatrícioCB 4 WilliamCB 14 Teco LB 16 Lúcio DM 8 Lucas Leiva CM 10 Tcheco (c) CM 22 Diego GavilánAM 11 Carlos EduardoCF 9 Tuta CF 7 Diego Souza Substitutes:GK 12 GalattoDF 3 Rolando Schiavi DF 6 Bruno TelesMF 18 RamónFW 19 Everton FW 20 DouglasFW 21 Amoroso Manager: Mano Menezes
GK 12 Mauricio CarantaCB 4 Hugo Ibarra CB 6 Cata Díaz CB 3 Claudio MorelRM 14 Rodrigo Palacio CM 8 Pablo Ledesma CM 24 Éver Banega LM 21 Clemente RodríguezAM 19 Neri Cardozo AM 10 Juan Román RiquelmeCF 9 Martín Palermo (c) Substitutes:GK 25 Pablo MiglioreDF 2 Matías SilvestreMF 5 Sebastián Battaglia FW 11 Bruno MarioniMF 16 Sergio Órteman FW 17 Mauro Boselli MF 23 Jesús DátoloManager: Miguel Ángel Russo
Man of the Match: Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors)
Assistant referees: Juan Carlos Bedoya Jovani Zapata Fourth official: Albert Duarte
Aftermath
With this appearance in the last stage Boca Juniors reached a record-equalling ninth final, winning on five of the eight previous occasions. At that point only Peñarol of Uruguay had played as many. The media praised Juan Román Riquelme's performance in the finals, crediting him as Boca's most notable player. Riquelme had returned to Argentina after a frustrating experience at Spanish club Villarreal where manager Manuel Pellegrini excluded him from the senior squad due to personal disputes.El mejor Riquelme on TN, 26 Jan 2015 Under the guidance of manager Miguel Ángel Russo, Riquelme was the top scorer of the team (and second of the 2007 edition behind Salvador Cabañas) with 8 goals in 11 matches, three of them in the finals.Orteman: "Riquelme hizo fácil la Libertadores" by Damián Espinoza on Deportea Online, 22 June 2017
The 5–0 aggregate score remains the largest victory in the history of Copa Libertadores finals.La sexta Copa de Boca by Damián Ferrero on Diario Publicable, 28 Oct 2013
On the other hand, Grêmio – who had previously played three finals, winning two of them – moved up to second place among Brazilian clubs with most Copa Libertadores finals contested, behind São Paulo with six.
References