Speaking a matter of hours before the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final against Gremio, Boca Juniors striker Martin Palermo is in confident mood. However, while many observers feel that Boca's 3-0 first leg success in Buenos Aires gives the Xeneizes an unassailable lead, the rangy target man is fully aware that the Porto Alegre outfit are a quite different proposition at the Estadio Olimpico, where they have yet to concede a goal in this year's Libertadores.

At 33 and with 15 years of terrorising opposing defences behind him, Palermo gives the impression of a man at ease with himself. Winner of six international trophies in the blue and gold of Boca, 2000 was a particularly vintage year for the veteran. Having already bagged that year's Copa Libertadores crown, a Palermo double helped Boca to a 2-1 Toyota Cup victory over a Real Madrid side at the peak of their powers.

Dubbed El Optimista del gol (the optimistic goal-getter) by former Boca and Atletico Madrid coach Carlos Bianchi, Wednesday's game could prove yet another chapter in the personal success story of Martin Palermo.

Hard-fought lead
On the back of the Xeneizes' 3-0 first leg victory in the Bombonera, FIFA.com asked Palermo if the emphatic scoreline was a fair reflection on the difference between the two sides. "I don't know if it's an accurate reflection or not, but if we're in the final and have built up such a big lead then we must deserve it," the man widely known as El Loco (The Madman) replied. "The two sides were evenly matched, but we're the ones who took our chances and hold the advantage. Nobody gifted us anything, we earned it out on the pitch."

Three goals to the good and with a wealth of experience packing the side, Boca fans could be forgiven for thinking a sixth Copa Libertadores crown was a mere formality. Not so says Palermo: "We know how eager the fans are (to win the title), but it's going to be very tough. People need to stay calm and have faith in us because we're heading to Brazil in very determined mood. We're aware that we've taken a big step forward but we know the Copa's not won yet."

For Palermo, a quick look at Boca's Libertadores campaign proves that his team can handle even the white-hot atmosphere certain to await them in the Estadio Olimpico. "In the quarter-finals we only drew at home to Libertad but we went to Paraguay for the second leg and won. And in the semis we lost the first leg over in Cucuta, but turned things around convincingly in Buenos Aires. This proves that Boca thrive in tough situations."

Voice of experience
In the face of Gremio's outstanding home record, Palermo knows just how important a good start to the game could be to his team's chances. "It's going to be crucial to keep things tight in the early stages, because they're going to want to pin us back in our area right from the off," he explains. "We can't afford to lose our cool, we need to use our heads and stay focused at all times. That's vital."

The former Villarreal striker also knows just what it is like to win the Copa away from home. Back in 2000, Boca defeated Palmeiras to take the trophy after a nerve-jangling second leg, played out at the always-intimidating Morumbi stadium in Sao Paulo. The Brazilians were heavily favoured after the first leg in Buenos Aires finished 2-2, but it was the fans bedecked in blue and gold who were left celebrating when their side triumphed on penalties.

This time around, the favourites' tag is squarely on Boca's shoulders, and failure to take their sixth Copa Libertadores title from such a commanding position would be perceived as a collapse of disastrous proportions. "We're not even contemplating that possibility," says Palermo. "If you go out on the pitch thinking you might lose, then there's more chance of it actually happening. We always take to the field looking to win, wherever we're playing."

Team effort
Despite being Boca's all-time leading marksman in international tournaments, Palermo is not the team's leading scorer in this year's competition. El Loco has weighed in with four goals, as has strike partner Rodrigo Palacio, but it is midfield schemer Juan Roman Riquelme who leads the way thus far with five goals to his name. Not that Palermo is unduly concerned: "That just shows that we can get goals from anywhere in the side, and that can only be good for the team. Not only does it take pressure off me, but it means that our opponents can't let their guard down as we're all capable of scoring."

Palermo admits that "the title would be a lovely way to celebrate the fact that it's been three years since I rejoined the club", although he is not a player prone to focusing on individual milestones. Always putting the team before himself, the player's unselfish work at the sharp end of the Boca attack has been vital to the Argentinians' progress thus far. "Each one of us knows what they bring to the team whether we're happy with our contribution or not, and I certainly am. But we're all aiming for the same goal: we want to win the Copa Libertadores."