Boca gears up for crucial trip to Barcelona SC in Copa Libertadores | OneFootball

After the win over Central Córdoba in Santiago, the Xeneize will face the Ecuadorian side this Tuesday in the fourth matchday of Group D.

Boca will visit Barcelona SC this Tuesday in Guayaquil for the fourth matchday of the Copa Libertadores Group D, in a key match to improve its position in a group that became very tight after the loss to Cruzeiro. The match will be broadcast on Canal 7 from Santiago del Estero.

The team coached by Claudio Úbeda arrives a bit more relaxed after the win over Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero, where it fielded an alternative lineup and managed to clear up doubts after the blow suffered in Brazil.

Boca had gotten off to an ideal start in the Libertadores, with wins over Universidad Católica in Chile and against Barcelona at La Bombonera. However, the defeat in Belo Horizonte halted that momentum and made this Tuesday’s clash in Ecuador even more significant.

The group situation is tight: Barcelona comes in without points after three defeats, while the other three teams all have 6 points and are fighting for the two spots in the round of 16. In that scenario, the Xeneize needs to get points to keep its chances alive and head into the final stretch in a strong position.

Úbeda will stick with the plan he has been using in international competition. The usual starters rested over the weekend, the team won in the domestic tournament, and now they will return for a decisive match. The only forced change will be the inclusion of Milton Giménez in place of Adam Bareiro, who was sent off against Cruzeiro.

On Barcelona’s side, the margin for error is minimal. César Farías’s team needs to win to stay alive in the fight for the round of 16, or at least keep some chance of finishing third and qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana.

The Ecuadorian side is coming off a 1-1 draw against Manta in the domestic league, in a match in which it rested several starters and played the entire second half with an extra man. The result felt disappointing and increased the pressure ahead of the clash with Boca.

Although the lineup has not been confirmed, Farías would once again rely on mostly starters. Among them, Darío Benedetto, former Xeneize striker, stands out, as he would be the center forward alongside Héctor Villalba. Fellow Argentines Milton Céliz and Matías Lugo could also play.

Possible Barcelona lineup

José Contreras; Bryan Carabalí, Javier Báez, Alex Rangel, Gustavo Vallecilla; Jandry Gómez, Milton Céliz, Matías Lugo, Jhonny Quiñónez; Héctor Villalba and Darío Benedetto. Coach: César Farías.

Possible Boca lineup

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