Five Boca players have scored against River, but only one in the blue and gold

There's less and less time left before the Superclasico at the Monumental, and as always when Boca and River collide, the numbers that stoke the atmosphere start making the rounds. One of the most entertaining: how many players on the roster coached by Rodolfo Arruabarrena already know what it feels like to score against River? The answer is five, though the details change the picture quite a bit: only one of them has scored while wearing Boca's jersey.

That one is Miguel Merentiel, who has turned into a particular nightmare for River. The Uruguayan has racked up four goals against the club from Nunez while wearing the blue and gold, and they haven't been just any goals. He scored twice in the historic 3-2 win in the Copa de la Liga 2024 quarterfinals, popped up in the 2-1 loss in the 2025 Torneo Apertura playing away in Nunez, and sealed the 2-0 win in the 2025 Torneo Clausura at La Bombonera. A true specialist when there's a Superclasico on the line.

But Merentiel's history with River goes back further. In 2021, while playing for Defensa y Justicia, he had already scored against them, leaving behind that unforgettable image of him shouting straight into the TV camera a line nobody has forgotten:

I'm a beastMiguel Merentiel

The other four, but in different colors

The rest of the group has scored against River too, yes, but either before joining Boca or wearing other colors entirely. Santiago Ascacibar, who makes no secret of being a Boca fan, closed out Estudiantes' 2-0 win at the Monumental during the 2025 Torneo Apertura.

Milton Gimenez has his own chapter too: in 2023 he scored a penalty against River while playing for Banfield, at home. The story with Boca remains unfinished business, since in the September 2024 meeting with the Millonario at La Bombonera, he had a goal disallowed that could have been a last-gasp equalizer.

Further south, Chilean forward Carlos Palacios scored against River while wearing Colo Colo's jersey, in the first leg of the 2024 Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, played in Santiago.

And then there's Alan Velasco, who had the pleasure of scoring twice against River with Independiente's jersey back in 2021: one goal all his own and another with the unwitting help of Franco Armani, in a 2-0 win for the Rojo at Banfield's stadium.

Five names, five different stories, but one certainty before the ball even rolls at the Monumental: if any of them finds the net, it won't be the first time they've done it against River.