Over the past twenty years, River Plate has rarely taken three points from La Bombonera. In fact, during that period they only defeated Boca Juniors four times as an away team*.
The first time was in the Clausura 2004, with the memorable headed goal by a young Fernando Cavenaghi, when River Plate used to get better results at the Alberto J. Armando Stadium, where they had previously scored many goals.
And the last two times, under the command of Marcelo Gallardo: in 2017 (3-1, with goals from Gonzalo Martinez, Lucas Alario, and Sebastian Driussi) and in 2018 (2-0, thanks to the celebrations of Pity Martinez and Nacho Scocco).
But in between, specifically on March 30, 2014, the Nunez team ended a historic adverse streak at La Bombonera. After a decade without victories at the home of their lifelong rival, River Plate, under the guidance of Ramon Diaz at that time, obtained a crucial win, which later led them to become champions of the Torneo Final 2014.
That game, which was fundamental for the red and white team to gain the confidence they needed to win their first title after relegation, featured two of the new signings for the team led by Martin Demichelis: Ramiro Funes Mori and Manuel Lanzini.
Although other River Plate players from the current squad also took part in that match (Jonathan Maidana started and Matias Kranevitter came off the bench), they did not have the same importance as Funes Mori and Lanzini.
In the 58th minute, with Boca Juniors dominating and looking for an opening goal, a tackle by Eder Alvarez Balanta and a combination play with his compatriots Carlos Carbonero and Teofilo Gutierrez resulted in an assist from Teo to Lanzini, who entered the local box and finished the ball over Agustin Orion.
The team led by Ramon Diaz began to make a strong impact at La Bombonera, but ten minutes later, Juan Roman Riquelme, who is now the vice president of the club from La Ribera, took charge of a free-kick on the edge of the box, after a foul by Gabriel Mercado, and placed the ball into the top right corner, Marcelo Barovero could only watch as the ball hit the crossbar and entered the net.
With the momentum of the equalizer, and supported by their fans, it was expected that Boca would go for the victory, but finally it was River Plate that took the three points, thanks to a controversial play: Manu Lanzini gained position against Hernan Grana, but the defender recovered and sent the ball out for a corner... or did he?
According to the replay, it was observed that the talented midfielder was the last one to touch the ball, but referee Nestor Pitana did not see that final touch and awarded a corner kick. The result: a great cross from Lanzini and a header from Funes Mori, who outjumped Orion, who had a very poor response, to seal the final 2-1 victory and achieve the first win at La Boca in a decade.
Ramiro, the twin brother of Rogelio, became an unexpected hero at that moment. With the (unfair) stigma of being 'the brother of', he had not yet established himself in the first team of River Plate, despite having a great participation in the Primera B Nacional.
From that day on, everything changed for the player from Mendoza, who became a key figure in the team's successes. He won championships with Ramon and became a mainstay for the Muñeco, with whom he won the Sudamericana, the Recopa, the Libertadores, and the Suruga Bank.
In mid-2015, after winning six titles in one year, he moved to Everton in England, marking the start of a career abroad that also took him to Villarreal in Spain, Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, and Cruz Azul in Mexico.
As for Lanzini, he played the first game of Gallardo's era and then joined Al-Jazira in the United Arab Emirates, before having a great career at West Ham United in the Premier League, where he spent the last eight seasons.
In the recent transfer market, both players returned to their beloved club, where they started their careers and where they reunited with Maidana, Kranevitter, and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez.
Starting in the three games of the last week (Arsenal, Atletico Tucuman, and Banfield), they are still going through a natural process of readjustment to Argentine football, almost a decade after their departures to play abroad.
And the two, who are beloved by the fans, will try to be protagonists at La Bombonera, just like they were on March 30, 2014, 3472 days ago, which is over nine and a half years ago.
*River Plate also 'won' as an away team against Boca Juniors in the second leg of the round of 16 of the CONMEBOL Libertadores 2015, in the match that was suspended due to the pepper spray incident.