Boca came into the second leg of the final with a 3-0 lead after victory at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, but despite the considerable advantage, they refused to sit on their lead and went on to beat Gremio yet again with two second half goals from an outstanding Juan Román Riquelme in Brazil.

It was Gremio, however, who started the stronger, piling on the pressure right from the start, looking to immediately reduce the first leg deficit. Boca responded by entering defensive mode, soaking up the pressure and looking to counter-attack.

The Argentine side were restricted to efforts from long range in an uneventful first half that had few clear goal-scoring opportunities as Gremio desperately searched for an opening goal. They came close to taking the lead just before the break when a long distance effort from Diego Souza rocketed off the crossbar. In the second half, Gremio introduced Marcio Amoroso to boost their attack, and were unlucky not to take the lead early on when a Rolando Schiavi header struck the left post following a dangerous free-kick from the right wing.

Soon after, speedy winger Lucio drilled a long ranged shot just over the bar, and time was rapidly running out for the hosts to stage a miraculous comeback. Their fate was sealed in the 68th minute when, against the run of play, Boca took the lead thanks to an extraordinary Riquelme cross-shot from just outside the box that beat goalkeeper Sebastian Saja.

Boca could now relax, and they subsequently took control of the game, playing with renewed assurance as the final whistle neared. Gloss was added to the scoreline with ten minutes to play when the visitors added a second goal. Riquelme claimed his second of the evening after sliding the ball in from close range following a blocked Rodrigo Palacio effort; it was Riquelme’s eighth goal of the competition. And Boca were awarded a penalty late on when Schiavi brought down Martin Palermo in the penalty area, but the striker fired his effort wide of Saja’s left post.

Boca pick up another Copa Libertadores title after an outstanding campaign and qualify for December’s Club World Cup, which will be staged in Japan. Riquelme’s performance was majestic, and he was rightfully named as the man of the match. Rumours continue to circulate that he could stay at Boca, and the Argentine press are hopeful that a deal with Villarreal can be brokered over the summer. It has emerged that Riquelme would like to take part in the Club World Cup, where Boca are likely to meet AC Milan, but more substantial offers from Europe are bound to come in to lure the former Argentina captain away from his homeland. Only time will tell as to where the ‘Lazy Magician’ will next be, but wherever he goes, Riquelme is sure to be exciting and influential in equal measure, as he once was at Villarreal and for his country.

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