After Miguel Ángel Russo's passing, Boca host Belgrano for a win | OneFootball

Under the leadership of Claudio Úbeda, the Xeneize faces the Pirata at La Bombonera for the 13th round of the Professional League.

The Club Atlético Boca Juniors will experience an emotional day this Saturday from 18:15, when they host Belgrano de Córdoba for the 13th round of the Torneo Clausura, in what will be their first match after the passing of Miguel Ángel Russo, one of the most beloved figures in the club's history. The match will be played at La Bombonera, with refereeing by Pablo Dóvalo and broadcast on ESPN Premium.

Beyond the sentimental context, the Xeneize arrives with a solid sporting present: they come from a 5-0 victory against Newell’s and remain second in the annual standings, consolidating their performance under the guidance of Claudio Úbeda. However, the week was marked by grief and several important updates in the squad.

The main negative news was the serious injury of Alan Velasco, who is ruled out for the rest of the tournament. On the other hand, Úbeda plans the return of Carlos Palacios to the starting team, although Kevin Zenón is also competing for that spot. Additionally, the coach will have to deal with a significant absence: Edinson Cavani did not recover from his physical discomfort and was excluded. In light of this, the offensive duo of Miguel Merentiel and Milton Giménez will continue from the start.

Another good news for Boca was the return of Leandro Paredes, who rejoined the group after his participation in the FIFA date with the Argentine National Team. The midfielder will be one of the key pieces to maintain control of the game against the Pirata.

For their part, Belgrano arrives at La Bombonera needing to add points. The team of Ricardo Zielinski occupies the tenth place with 15 points, resulting from three wins, six draws, and three losses, and is just one point away from the zone of qualification to the round of 16. The Pirata carries a streak of three consecutive draws, including the 0-0 against Talleres in the Cordoba classic and the 1-1 against Estudiantes, besides having the semifinals of the Copa Argentina on the horizon, where they will face Argentinos Juniors next October 23.

Boca Juniors: Agustín Marchesín; Juan Barinaga, Lautaro Di Lollo, Ayrton Costa, Lautaro Blanco; Brian Aguirre, Rodrigo Battaglia, Leandro Paredes, Carlos Palacios; Miguel Merentiel and Milton Giménez. Coach: Claudio Úbeda.

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