At the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, the final matchday of Group B in the Copa Libertadores takes center stage, as River Plate, led by Marcelo Gallardo, prepares to face Universitario. The home side has already secured qualification to the Round of 16 with 11 points and is aiming to finish the group stage on a high. Behind them, the Peruvian side sits second with 7 points, followed by Independiente del Valle with 5, still in contention for second place. Los Millonarios, four-time Copa Libertadores champions, come into this game looking for redemption after being eliminated on penalties by Platense in the quarter-finals of the Argentine Primera División. A win against Universitario would not only consolidate their top spot in the group but also serve as a morale booster ahead of upcoming challenges in June: the Copa Argentina and the FIFA Club World Cup. For Universitario, three points are crucial to securing second place and direct qualification to the Round of 16. The Peruvians, currently leading their domestic league, need to hold off Independiente del Valle, who play at the same time against Barcelona SC, last in the group but still capable of shaking things up. The trip to the Monumental is a tough task for Jorge Fossati's men, due to both the strength of the opponent and the hostile environment. River already beat Universitario 1-0 in the reverse fixture in Lima and boasts a long unbeaten streak at home in the Libertadores. An Argentine win would be in line with history and current form, but Universitario cannot afford mistakes if they want to avoid the playoffs.

River Plate Recent Form and Key Stats

River Plate will be looking to bounce back after a painful quarter-final exit in the Argentine Primera División, where they were knocked out on penalties by Platense following a 1-1 draw in regulation time. That loss ended a five-game winning streak across all competitions.

Marcelo Gallardo’s side currently tops Group B after five matchdays with 11 points from 3 wins and 2 draws, remaining unbeaten. The numbers are impressive: an average of 2.4 goals scored and 1.2 conceded per game.

At the Monumental, River has lost just one of their last 20 games. Looking specifically at the Copa Libertadores, the home record is even more dominant: the Argentine giants are unbeaten in 16 consecutive home matches in the competition.

In this year’s Copa Libertadores, they’ve drawn 0-0 with Barcelona SC and thrashed Independiente del Valle 6-2 at home, showing both defensive solidity and attacking firepower in front of their fans.

Universitario Recent Form and Key Stats

In their last five official matches across league and cup, Universitario have picked up two wins, one draw, and two losses, alternating strong displays with inconsistent ones. However, they sent a strong message in their latest Liga 1 fixture, defeating Sporting Cristal 2-0 thanks to goals from Flores and Diego Churín, keeping a second clean sheet in three games.

While they sit top of the table in Peru after 13 rounds, their Copa Libertadores campaign has improved steadily. After a slow start, all 7 of their current group-stage points came in the last three matchdays, securing second place for now.

Away form remains an issue. In the league, the Peruvians have lost their last two away games (2-0 defeats to Cusco and Juan Pablo II), failing to score in 180 minutes. In 2025, they’ve played eight games away from Lima, recording 3 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses.

Their Copa Libertadores away record follows a similar trend: an important 1-0 win over Barcelona SC was followed by a 1-0 defeat to Independiente del Valle.

River Plate vs Universitario Prediction and Tactical Overview

According to BetMines' algorithm, River Plate are strong favorites to win this home match against Universitario—not only to secure all three points but also to keep a clean sheet. River’s impressive home record and Universitario’s away struggles suggest a one-sided affair.

Even though River has already qualified and the result won’t affect their advancement, Marcelo Gallardo wants to finish the group stage strongly. However, he will be without several key players: Maximiliano Meza, Matías Rojas, Pity Martínez, and Gonzalo Montiel are all sidelined. This could be a good opportunity for squad players like Miguel Borja and Manuel Lanzini to shine and gain rhythm ahead of the knockout rounds.

On the other side, Jorge Fossati must cope without José Rivera and Horacio Calcaterra, while Aldo Corzo's condition remains uncertain. In attack, Álex Valera and Edison Flores will lead the line, with the latter fresh from scoring in the last league match.

River, who last won the Copa Libertadores in 2018 and have lifted the trophy four times in total, have built much of their success on home dominance. With 16 straight unbeaten home games in the competition, they are unlikely to give much away to a Universitario side that has shown vulnerabilities on the road.

• River Plate vs Universitario prediction of the BetMines algorithm predicts the sign 1 at 64%.
  
  
• River Plate vs Universitario prediction of the BetMines algorithm predicts the sign X at 21%.
  
  
• River Plate vs Universitario prediction of the BetMines algorithm predicts the sign 2 at 15%.

River Plate vs Universitario Predicted Lineups

RIVER PLATE (4-3-3): Armani; Bustos, Pezzella, Martinez Quarta, Acuna; Fernandez, Perez, Lanzini; Mastantuono, Driussi, Colidio. Manager: Marcelo Gallardo

UNIVERSITARIO (5-3-2): Britos; Polo, Corzo, Riveros, Di Benedetto, Inga; Concha, Urena, Carabali; Valera, Flores. Manager: Jorge Fossati