Tactical Analysis: Palmeiras vs. River Plate (First Leg)

As the Copa Libertadores edges ever closer to its conclusion, two of the tournament's juggernauts find themselves head to head in a two-legged semi-final. Those teams, Palmeiras of Brazil and River Plate of Argentina, are a couple of the most storied clubs in all of South America. To add an extra layer to the intrigue, the remaining two teams on the opposite side of the bracket are Santos and Boca Juniors, completing a fascinating parallel.

From the beginning, the lineup card put out by both teams immediately shows intent on either side. Palmeiras, the underdogs in this matchup, feature two wingbacks in a 3-4-3 (or a 5-4-1) shape. A likely sign that they’d be playing defensively, trying to keep the scoreline tight for the second leg.

On the flip side, River Plate used their customary 4-1-3-2 formation, with manager Marcelo Gallardo using Enzo Pérez as the anchor man shielding the center backs. Their balance between attack and defense likely meant River Plate would attack this game on as you’d expect from a team expected to win the match.