Episode 19: the 2011 Clausura superclásico preview

In the nineteenth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Seba and Dan greet a couple of special guests to preview this Sunday’s superclásico in La Bombonera. Samuel (no, not Sam) is our tamed River Plate fan, and the four of us try to keep him from attacking Boca Juniors fan Ariel. The team discuss the key players, our guests’ memories of previous superclásicos, predictions and more, as well as looking over the action from the weekend just gone and contemplating Vélez Sarsfield’s status as the only Argentine side in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

Sam is the author of Hasta El Gol Siempre. Australian Dan runs Argentina Football World, English Dan edits Goal.com’s South American section (to which Boca-supporting guest Ariel is a contributor), and Seba is the websmaster of Mundo Albiceleste. In spite of their Spanish names, both HEGS and MA are English-language sites. Clicking each of our names above will take you to our Twitter accounts.

As ever, you can listen right here or subscribe to Hand Of Pod on iTunes. The videos mentioned in the pod of goals from previous supers are below, as are Mystic Dan’s predictions.

Mystic Dan’s predictions
Colón vs Huracán
Godoy Cruz vs Quilmes
Gimnasia vs Banfield
San Lorenzo vs Argentinos
All Boys vs Arsenal
Racing vs Newell’s
Estudiantes vs Tigre
Boca vs River
Olimpo vs Independiente
Lanús vs Vélez

As ever, sides in bold are Dan’s predicted winners.

Vaselina Rojas’ only ever goal for River Plate, against Boca Juniors in La Bombonera

Carlos Tevez’s goal & red card for mocking River’s nickname (‘chickens’) in the 2004 Libertadores semi-final

A little context for this one: Tevez’s goal came in the 90th minute of the second leg, and made it 1-1 on the night, but 2-1 to Boca on aggregate; he thought he’d just won them the tie. In stoppage time River equalised and, away goals not being in use at the time in the competition, the game went to penalties, when without Tevez Boca did, nonetheless, progress to the final.