Will the Beast be fit? The pain troubling Merentiel and all Boca | OneFootball

The Uruguayan asked to come off in Chile because of discomfort in his pubic area, and Úbeda will keep a close eye on him. With Independiente just around the corner and the Superclásico on the horizon, do they risk him or rest him?

Boca came back from Santiago with a huge win over Católica, but it’s not all smiles. The victory in their cup debut left one main concern: the physical condition of Miguel Merentiel. The Uruguayan, a key piece in attack, was substituted in the second half and is now the big question mark for Saturday’s match against Independiente at La Bombonera.

The diagnosis: What’s wrong with Merentiel?

After the match, Claudio Úbeda didn’t beat around the bush and made the situation clear:

Úbeda’s dilemma: Does he play or rest?

The coaching staff has a real puzzle ahead. While the clash against Rojo is a tough test in the Clausura Tournament, Boca’s upcoming schedule is absolutely crazy:

The plan is to evaluate him day by day. If the “Beast” isn’t at 100%, Úbeda could rest him so he’s fully fit for the Libertadores and the showdown against River.

Bareiro, the partner waiting in the wings

The good news for Sifón is that Adam Bareiro was dealing with nothing more than fatigue. The Paraguayan finished “with his tongue hanging out” after his goal, but he should be fine for Saturday. The issue is that, without Merentiel, he loses his best partner: between them, they have 9 goals in 8 matches.

What happens if Miguel isn’t fit in time? The coach will have to decide whether to start Ander Herrera to strengthen the midfield or go with another forward to partner the Paraguayan No. 9. Crucial hours are coming up at the Ezeiza training ground.

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