With the semifinalists set (River, Boca, Palmeiras, Gremio), it’s time to analyze who are the top players remaining. The only thing considered for this rankings is how each player performed in the Libertadores, so if a player is struggling on the local stage but has been tearing it up in the Libertadores, he’ll be here.
5. Juan Fernando Quintero, midfielder, River Plate (ARG)
A true example of the word trequartista, Juanfer is a game-changing midfielder, whether it’s destroying back lines with pinpoint passes, scoring free-kicks, or finishing with an absurd amount of quality.
Juanfer is not higher on the list (trust me, he has the potential to be) because manager Marcelo Gallardo uses him as a super-sub. Still, the impact Quintero makes on a game in 35 minutes is higher than plenty of other guys make in 90.
Against Gremio, Gallardo will perhaps have to resort to starting Juanfer, as his magic will surely be needed for the whole 180 minutes of the series.
4. Franco Armani, goalkeeper, River Plate (ARG)
Franco would be much higher on this list if it weren’t for a blunder against Independiente that could’ve cost his team the classification.
Other than that mistake, Armani is one of the top goalkeepers. He can block pretty much every shot, has great reflexes, great technique, is extremely solid in crosses, has control of the box, and avoids major mistakes playing with his feet.
Franco is the perfect goalkeeper for Latin-American soccer. Currently, he’s a big part of River’s 32-match unbeaten streak.
3. Wilmar Barrios, midfield, Boca Juniors (ARG)
Barrios is one of, if not the main reason, Boca is playing in the semifinals right now. He’s the heart and soul of Boca’s team and without him, Los Xeneizes wouldn’t have even reached the Round of 16.
He displays amazing positioning and tackling skills, which makes him the best defensive midfielder in America at the moment. He’s considered the Colombian Kante. His defensive impact on a game can’t be understated. He’ constantly covering holes, recovering balls, dispossessing opponents and intercepting passes.
Barrios will face an extremely difficult task against Bruno Henrique and Dudu, but if he has his sidekick Nahitan Nandez, Boca should matchup well against Palmeiras.
2. Miguel Borja, striker, Palmeiras (BRA)
The leading scorer in this edition of the Copa Libertadores has certainly not disappointed in what was supposed to be his make-or-break season. After exploding for a hat-trick in the last game of the group stage, Borja has followed through with an extraordinary elimination stage.
Borja has scored half of his team’s goals in the elimination stage. He’s one of the main reasons that Palmeiras has only lost a single game in this Libertadores.
Against Boca, Borja will be pitted against Izquierdoz and Magallan, who did a fine job shutting down Barcos, from Cruzeiro.
1. Geromel, center back, Gremio (BRA)
After closely following him for the last couple matches, I’ve been blown away by Geromel. Even though he seems a bit skinny for a center back, this guy is a killer. His performance in the first leg against Atletico Tucuman was simply impeccable.
So far, I haven’t witnessed Geromel lose out on an air-ball. He just seems to win every single challenge. He’s always where he needs to be and acts surgically to disable any opposition attacks.
Geromel and Kannemann are by far the best center back duo in Latin-America. Partially because of them, the road to the Copa Libertadores title still goes through Porto Alegre. Against River Plate, they’ll face struggling Lucas Pratto. However, they’ll also see a scorching hot Rafael Santos Borre and Ignacio Scocco. It’s a tough test for Geromel.
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