Copa Libertadores Semifinals Leg 1 Odds & Picks: River Plate vs Boca Juniors & Gremio vs Flamengo

• Boca Juniors have emerged as +200 favorites in the Copa Libertadores futures as semifinal action begins this week
• Flamengo lag as +250 second-favorites despite going undefeated in 11 straight matches
• Defending champions River Plate follow at +275 while 2017 champions Gremio are pegged as +350 longshots

As the start of this week’s semifinal matchup fast approaches, Boca Juniors have emerged as narrow favorites to win this year’s CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, climbing to +200 on the soccer futures. The Argentinian side has made gains on Flamengo since coming out of their quarterfinal victory over LDU Quito. The two teams have swapped places as favorite with Flamengo being given the +200 price tag originally.

Odds to Win 2019 Copa Libertadores

*Odds taken on 09/29/19

Boca Juniors are aiming to claim their first Copa Libertadores title since 2007, but face a tough semifinal test against defending tournament champions River Plate. Currently pegged as +250 second-favorites in Copa Libertadores championship betting, Flamengo continues their bid for a first-ever tournament title this week in an all-Brazilian semifinal clash with Gremio.

Here’s a closer look at each of this week’s Copa Libertadores matchups.

River Plate vs Boca Juniors Semifinal Leg 1 Odds

*Odds taken 09/29/19

Red-Hot Boca Juniors Look for Rare Win Over River Plate

The Blue & Gold have continued to remain undefeated since getting past LDU Quito with a 3-0 victory in Copa Libertadores quarterfinal action. The Juniors closed out that matchup with a scoreless draw on home turf, and have surrendered just one total goal in four outings across all competitions since, posting a 2-2-0 win-draw-loss record in those contests to extend their current undefeated run to eight matches.

Boca Juniors have remain red-hot since the start of the new season. The club has suffered just one defeat since closing out a stretch of friendlies in July, and have kept clean sheets in 11 of 13 contests. That stingy defense has lifted them to the top of the Superliga table with a 5-3-0 record.

The Juniors have also avoided giving up a goal so far in the elimination round at this year’s tournament, outscoring opponents by a 6-0 margin through four contests. However, the club has enjoyed little success against River Plate, going winless in five meetings across all competitions, capped by a scoreless draw in league action on September 1.

Currently lagging in 14th place on the Superliga table, River Plate have produced mixed results over the past month, going 3-2-2 in their past seven overall, capped by a decisive 2-0 victory over Gimnasia La Plata in league action this past weekend.

The four-time Copa Libertadores champions have struggled on home turf however, earning just a single point over their past three outings, but remain comfortably perched as +100 home favorites in the Copa Libertadores odds in Tuesday’s first-leg clash at Estadio Alberto José Armando in Buenos Aires.

Pick: Boca Juniors to win (+255); Over 2.0 (+100)

Gremio vs Flamengo Semifinal Leg 1 Odds

Flamengo Ride Undefeated Streak into First-Leg Clash in Gremio

Flamengo have been red-hot since overcoming a midsummer swoon, during which they posted wins in just two of six contests including a 2-0 loss to Emelec to open their Copa Libertadores schedule. The Scarlet-Black have gone 9-2-0 in their past 11 matches across all competitions, and have been outstanding on the road during that stretch, outscoring opponents by a 13-3 margin while going 4-1-0 in five matches.

https://twitter.com/reliquiasbr/status/1178251071820570625?s=20

Attacker Gabriel Barbosa has sparked the Flamengo offense during their current surge. The 23-year-old saw an 11-match goalscoring streak in league play recently snapped, but has found the back of the net in eight of the club’s past 10 overall contests, and scored five times in nine appearances in this year’s tournament.

While Gremio lags on the Copa Libertadores futures as +350 longshots, they look toward Wednesday’s first-leg of their semifinal matchup with Flamengo listed as narrow +140 home favorites on the game line odds. The Immortal Tricolor return home for Wednesday’s contest at Arena do Grêmio after dropping a 2-1 decision to Fluminense in Serie A play, but have otherwise enjoyed a strong September, posting four straight wins prior to Sunday’s loss to climb into seventh place on the league table, just four four points below the line.

🔵⚫️⚪️ Da ameaça de eliminação às semifinais! O @Gremio honrou o apelido em sua campanha na #Libertadores. É hora de ver os 1⃣5⃣ gols do #Imortal!

🏆🇧🇷 O Tricolor recebe o @Flamengo, na quarta. pic.twitter.com/oMKbOmnwvX

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@LibertadoresBR) September 26, 2019

The 2017 Copa Libertadores champions have also tallied three straight home victories, but have produced uneven results in Copa Libertadores contests on home turf, going 3-0-3 in their past six, a run that started with a 2-1 loss to River Plate that bounced them from the semifinal of last year’s tournament. However, Gremio remains undefeated in 21 home meetings with Flamengo across all competitions since 1983, going 13-8-0 including a 1-2-0 mark in Copa Libertadores action.

Picks: Gremio to win (+140); Over 2.0 (-120)