Copa Libertadores Final vs Grêmio (2007)
A dream of six stars shattered by a single away goal in La Bombonera.
The 2007 Copa Libertadores Final stands as one of the most heartbreaking chapters in Boca Juniors' storied history. It was a two-legged decider against Brazil's Grêmio that saw the Xeneize, led by the legendary Juan Román Riquelme and managed by the tactical mastermind Miguel Ángel Russo, fall agonizingly short of their sixth continental title.
This final is defined not just by the scoreline, but by a dramatic second-leg collapse at La Bombonera. After drawing the first leg in Porto Alegre, Boca had the momentum and the crowd behind them, only to surrender a lead through a controversial penalty and a late equalizer that forced a tense, goalless draw in extra time before Grêmio won on away goals.
- Competition
- Copa Libertadores
- Opponent
- Grêmio (Brazil)
- Result
- Lost on Away Goals Rule
- First Leg Score
- 1-0 to Grêmio (in Porto Alegre)
- Second Leg Score
- 2-2 (Boca led 2-1 at one point)
- Key Figure
- Juan Román Riquelme
Lore & Background
The 2007 final pitted the reigning champions, Boca Juniors, against a resurgent Grêmio side. The first leg in Porto Alegre ended 1-0 to the Brazilians due to a penalty converted by Adriano Gabiru, leaving Boca with a difficult task to overturn in Buenos Aires.
Returning to the hallowed turf of La Bombonera, the atmosphere was electric. Boca took an early lead through Martín Palermo, seemingly turning the tie around. However, the match turned on a controversial penalty awarded to Grêmio, which Marcelo Saragosa converted to level the aggregate score at 1-1. In the dying moments of extra time, with the score tied 2-2 on aggregate and 0-0 in regulation for the second leg, Grêmio scored an equalizer that would prove fatal due to the away goals rule.
The tragedy of this match lies in the proximity of victory. Boca controlled large portions of the second leg and had the chance to win it outright in extra time, but a single defensive lapse allowed Grêmio to secure their first Libertadores title while denying Boca a record-breaking sixth crown.
In Their Own Story
The air inside La Bombonera was thick enough to choke on, vibrating with the roar of fifty thousand souls chanting 'Vamos Boca.' The scoreline read 2-1 in our favor, but the aggregate was a cruel 2-2. Riquelme stood near the center circle, his eyes scanning the field, the weight of history pressing down on his shoulders. We needed one more goal to win it all, just one more.
Then, the whistle blew for extra time. The clock ticked into the final minutes of the second leg's extra period. A loose pass, a scramble in the box, and suddenly the ball was at the feet of a Grêmio striker. He struck it low, past the despairing dive of the keeper. 2-2 on aggregate. The stadium went silent for a heartbeat before erupting in agony. We had won the match but lost the trophy because they scored away from home. The dream of six stars dissolved into the humid Buenos Aires night.
Reader's Guide
The 2007 Copa Libertadores Final unfolded as a brutal two-legged saga between Boca Juniors and Grêmio. The opening leg in Porto Alegre ended 1-0 to the Brazilians after Adriano Gabiru converted a penalty, leaving Boca with an uphill battle.
At La Bombonera for the decider, the atmosphere was suffocatingly electric. Martín Palermo struck early, leveling the aggregate and igniting hope. But the narrative twisted violently when referee Carlos Amarilla awarded a controversial penalty to Grêmio; Marcelo Saragosa coolly slotted it home to force extra time at 1-1 on the night (2-2 aggregate). The drama peaked in the dying seconds of extra time: with Boca dominating and desperate for a winner, a defensive lapse allowed Grêmio's Anderson Polga to sneak in an away goal. That single strike broke the tie on the away-goals rule, handing Grêmio their first Libertadores title and leaving Boca Juniors to mourn a sixth crown snatched from the jaws of victory.
Did You Know?
- This was Boca Juniors' first final since winning the 2003 Copa Libertadores.
- Grêmio won their first-ever Copa Libertadores title thanks to this victory.
- Juan Román Riquelme played his entire career in Argentina (except for a brief spell at Villarreal) and captained Boca through this heartbreaking loss.
- The penalty awarded to Grêmio in the second leg remains one of the most debated refereeing decisions in Copa Libertadores history.