How to get a head start in a big game? Torment the opponents all night with fireworks!

There are no rules in love nor war. If you’ve been either in love or at war – you know it’s true. And you better believe that fanatical football fans know no rules. Because you see, they are in love with the club that they support and they are constantly at war with everyone else. That’s a recipe for madness!

The rivalry between Brazil and Argentina is a long-lasting one. They don’t like each other, to say the least. If there is a football match on where the rivals are from these two countries – you know you’re going to witness a lot of passion, pride and more than a bit of craziness.

On the night before an important match, you need to get enough sleep and be fresh on match day. If you manage to get some sleep, that is. Atletico Mineiro supporters were launching fireworks all night in front of the hotel where the Boca Juniors players were supposed to be sleeping so they could help their team. These people will stop at nothing!

The sky above and around the Ouro Minas Palace Hotel in the city of Belo Horizonte was lit all night. As the Atletico Mineiro ultras put it simply: "Boca will not sleep tonight."

A few days ago, Sergio Batista Coelho, president of Atletico Mineiro, had complained about what he considered mistreatment both in the arrival of his team in Argentina and in his visit to La Bombonera, Boca’s home ground. With much bitterness, he said that Atletico are going to 'welcome' Boca Juniors in the same way. And he wasn’t just saying that.

Such is the rivalry that the South American press often say that these matches begin at the airport. And if you consider that the Argentine club's staff and players were held for more than two hours at the airport in Belo Horizonte, you could argue that the Brazilians have a slender lead already.

However, only the goals scored on the pitch will count in the end - and there were none when these two teams met in the first leg in Buenos Aires. If Boca players appear a bit slow and disoriented when the match kicks off – at least we’ll know what was the cause of it.

CONMEBOL LIBERTADORES

Round of 16 - Second leg

Wednesday

01.15: Atletico Mineiro - Boca Juniors /first leg 0-0/

03.30: Racing Club - Sao Paulo /first leg 1-1/

Thursday

01.15: Barcelona SC - Velez Sarsfield /first leg 0-1/

01.15: Palmeiras - Universidad Catolica /first leg 1-0/

03.30: Argentinos Juniors - River Plate /first leg 1-1/

03.30: Flamengo - Defensa y Justicia /first leg 1-0/

Friday

03.30: Internacional - Club Olimpia /first leg 0-0/

4 August

Fluminense - Cerro Porteno /first leg 2-0/