Tactical switch, a surprise and early signs of Boca 2026 👀 | OneFootball

Úbeda began to show his ideas at Boca, and the first formal preseason trial left several conclusions. This Thursday, at the Ezeiza training ground, the coach organized a practice with the ball and surprised everyone by changing the usual formation: he abandoned the 4-4-2 and tried out a 4-3-3, marking a break from how the previous semester ended.

The most notable absence was Edinson Cavani, who trained separately due to lower back pain. The coaching staff decided to proceed cautiously and not rush his return, aiming for him to be in optimal condition for the Apertura Tournament debut on January 25. Carlos Palacios also did not participate, as he was being protected after a minor knock to his knee.

The starting lineup consisted of Agustín Marchesín; Juan Barinaga, Lautaro Di Lollo, Ayrton Costa, and Lautaro Blanco; Ander Herrera, Leandro Paredes, and Milton Delgado; Kevin Zenón, Miguel Merentiel, and Exequiel Zeballos. The big surprise was Zenón, who went from being sidelined to fully earning a spot in the starting eleven as a right winger.

At the same time, Úbeda also tested an alternative team with Leandro Brey; Lucas Blondel, Nicolás Figal, Marco Pellegrino, and Malcom Braida; Williams Alarcón, Tomás Belmonte, and Alan Velasco; Brian Aguirre, Milton Giménez, and Lucas Janson, a sign that the coach is starting to evaluate options in every position. Boca begins 2026 with a change in formation, bold decisions, and a coach determined to make his mark from the very start of preseason.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.