The fortune Boca lost by being left out of the Copa Libertadores

La Bombonera was a cauldron. And, beyond the anger of Boca fans for being eliminated in phase 2 of the Copa Libertadores , it could be said that there are 33 million reasons to regret the bad performance of Fernando Gago's team against Alianza Lima.

Boca lost a real fortune with Tuesday night's setback against the Peruvian team. It seems far away, but if we aim for the ultimate goal, last year Botafogo pocketed 33 million dollars after winning the top title in South America . The fact: last year, the team from Rio de Janeiro started in the same stage as the Xeneize and ended up being crowned champion in the end against Atlético Mineiro on River's field.

If Boca had made it to the next phase yesterday, it would have secured 600 thousand dollars that would have gone directly into the club's coffers. And just by making it to the group phase, it would have earned another 1,100,000. Just by playing in the Libertadores zone, each club receives 3,300,000. And to that you can add 330,000 dollars for every game won. Winning all the games in the group phase means a sum of 1,980,000 dollars.

Things get pretty good in the round of 16. Getting into the first playoff round costs $1,250,000. The quarter-finals offer $1,700,000 and the semi-finals $2,300,000.

By reaching the final of the Copa Libertadores, as Almirón's team did two editions ago, Boca would have secured 7 million dollars. Although the champion's figure is astronomical and reaches 33,940,000 dollars.

To top it all off, if they made it to the next phase (the 3rd, prior to qualifying for the group stage), Gago's team would have secured entry to the Copa Sudamericana, which, although the figures are lower, also offers significant sums of money for each game won. But Boca was left without the bread and without the cake.

Last year, Racing de Costas pocketed six million dollars, a figure that Boca would have secured by just making it to the group stage. However, even that is no consolation. Now, in the midst of the crisis caused by the elimination against Alianza Lima, Boca must wait until mid-year, when it is assured of its participation in the Club World Cup.