From smiles to seriousness in a week. That is the scenario that is not favorable for the Mellizo team: it is not enough to win against the Peruvians. And although everyone at Brandsen 805 believes that Palmeiras will not give up their game (yesterday they lost the derby against Corinthians with most of their starters), the Brazilian club has already secured their place in the knockout stages. "I would have liked to depend only on Boca in the Copa and I trust that we have a team to not be in this situation, but we have to win our game and wait for another result," said Daniel Angelici, who insisted that "the evaluation of the team and the coaching staff's work will be done in December and not after Wednesday."

In the coach's mind, however, there are other certainties. Being eliminated from the Libertadores would be a failure for the objectives that were set. Guillermo recognized that the priorities were the bicampeonato and advancing in the Cup. The Superfinal against River represented more of a won derby than what the disputed title was worth. "A good Libertadores in Boca is reaching the final," he admitted earlier this year with Clarin. An early elimination would make him rethink almost everything. His future, despite the president's wishes, as well as the steps to follow with the squad that celebrated twice on the national stage. "The Argentine championship is not easy and winning a bicampeonato speaks of the personality of the coaching staff and the players. We trust them fully for what is to come," reflected Vice President Horacio Paolini, one of Guillermo's closest board members, to Clarin.

For the coach, the match will be complex but he will seek to put an eleven on the field that resolves the game as soon as possible. Tevez, despite his low level, will be a starter. And Frank Fabra will join the defense as the left back for his offensive excursions. And Gago? "He will be evaluated, and we will see his observation to know if we can count on him for this match or if it is better to wait for him after the preseason," confided the coach, who knows that his smile of happiness for the two national championships can fade if he encounters another setback on the international field. And the squad is aware of that. "My focus is on finishing in the best way possible, being able to win in the Copa and advance to the knockout stages so I can take vacations and have a good preseason to be in good shape. My level was not the best in the last period and I am the first to admit it; I want to help the team achieve its goals," admitted Carlos Tevez, who, just in case, repeated that he will stay at the club despite the rumors linking him to MLS. "I will stay to fulfill my contract with Boca," he said in the last hours.

The Boca Board is expectant about Wednesday. "We have the pending task of winning the Copa Libertadores and if we don't advance in the cup, it will be a big blow for everyone," admitted club vice president Royco Ferrari. It is known that beyond being an unquestionable champion, the club has always aimed to return to the international spotlight and needs, at least, to be a protagonist in this Libertadores. And if it can't? The Copa Sudamericana, at the beginning, would be a consolation prize that they should also compete for. After all, Marcelo Gallardo and Ariel Holan became idols by winning that title. At Boca, they don't want anything to do with that and they hope that on June 4 in Asuncion, they will be part of the Libertadores draw. Even falling in the Sudamericana would mean changing plans for a preseason already scheduled in the United States, as the competition would start earlier.

But access to decisive stages of the Libertadores will not only mark the sports agenda. It can also modify the economic planning. If Boca does not advance to the round of 16, the sales of Cristian Pavon and other players from the team can accelerate. There are no official requests today, but they know that their presence on the global list for the national team will put the world's eyes on their shoulders. The same will happen with Wilmar Barrios. Meanwhile, in June there are contracts (Cardona, Sara, Espinoza, Benitez, and Vergini, among others) that can be terminated if Boca's roadmap changes. Something similar will happen with potential reinforcements: the investment will not be the same if they go after a Cup or without it as their objective. The celebration is over: it's time to get serious.