Boca face selection doubts for trip to Racing | OneFootball

After qualifying, Boca quickly shifted gears and turned its focus to the crucial clásico against Racing in the Torneo Clausura. The coaching staff is assessing the players carrying knocks and will put together a starting eleven heavily shaped by an overcrowded infirmary, the result of an exhausting run of matches.

The Boquense side is coming off a commanding thrashing of Recoleta on Paraguayan soil, a result that brought relief and boosted morale. However, the physical toll of this intense stretch of the schedule has started to show in the hallways of the Ezeiza training ground. Now, all eyes are on Sunday’s crucial clash at 9:30 p.m. at the Cilindro de Avellaneda, where the team needs all three points to begin climbing into the playoff qualification spots.

Lautaro Di Lollo, physically on the limit. Photo: Javier Martino/Prensa CABJ.

The main source of concern for Rodolfo Arruabarrena is the overload several of his players are dealing with. Lautaro Di Lollo and Leonel Flores are Boca’s biggest question marks ahead of this weekend’s clásico. Both players have reached the limit of their physical capabilities, which is why they did not even get minutes off the bench in the match played in Asunción.

The coaching staff is closely monitoring the progress of both players, who have become highly valuable pieces in the Vasco’s setup. They will be thoroughly evaluated during the next training sessions to determine whether they are fit to take the field.

Leonel Flores is also dealing with muscle fatigue. Photo: Javier Martino/Prensa CABJ.

The confirmed absences thinning out Boca’s starting eleven

Beyond the doubts already mentioned, the picture grows even darker when reviewing the definitive absences the club from La Ribera is carrying. The most significant loss is, without a doubt, Leandro Paredes, the captain and the team’s main barometer. The midfielder suffered inflammation in his left hamstring during the draw against Platense, and the coach himself was emphatic in ruling him out completely for Sunday’s match.

Marco Pellegrino’s case brings extra concern, as the twinge he suffered against El Calamar turned into a muscle injury that will keep him off the pitch for several matches. Meanwhile, Lozano also will not make it to the meeting in Avellaneda due to discomfort in the back of his leg. Faced with this difficult situation, with five players either ruled out or carrying knocks, the coaching staff is urgently piecing together a tactical puzzle.

El Vasco wants to keep the core of the team that started the win over Recoleta in Paraguay. Photo: Christian Alvarenga/Getty Image.

Despite the structural difficulties in putting together the lineup, Arruabarrena’s firm intention is to keep the core of the starters who began the match in Paraguay. The coach trusts that the footballing momentum from the latest victory will offset the clear physical wear and tear on his players. With that conviction, the team will look to impose its quality and take control of a clásico that could set the tone in the Torneo Clausura.

Keep reading:

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Rodolfo Arruabarrena confirmed Boca’s absences against Racing

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