Boca player ratings in defeat to Vélez | OneFootball

Boca played poorly away from home once again, could have been thrashed, and ended up with a made-up 2-1 score against Vélez in Liniers, marking their second consecutive away defeat. Matías Pellegrini scored a brace for El Fortín, while Iker Zufiaurre pulled one back with a great finish, although it came near the end of the match.

Below, the player-by-player and coach analysis, who once again showed he was not up to the level of Xeneize:

Agustín Marchesín (4)

Once again, Boca's goalkeeper couldn't save them. He couldn't reach the first goal, and for the second, there wasn't much he could do. He wasn't troubled much, and the only shot he saved went straight into his hands.

Juan Barinaga (1)

The only thing worth highlighting about Barinaga since he arrived at Boca is his defensive vocation, which was nowhere to be seen on the night in Liniers. Offensively, he was terrible, had no impact, didn't deliver good crosses, and left the team exposed with several turnovers.

Lautaro Di Lollo (4)

The context of the match got to him and he had a very tough time. Although he is usually consistent, today's collective performance was so poor that it exposed the young center-back, who struggled against Pellegrini.

Ayrton Costa (1)

Directly responsible for both goals and once again looked insecure. He failed to head the ball clear and Pellegrini opened the scoring, while for Vélez's second goal, it's unclear what he was trying to do.

Lautaro Blanco (3)

The usual: he gets down the wing whenever he can and tries to cross, but it's still unclear to whom, since with the current squad, it's difficult for Boca to win aerially. He was quickly nullified and didn't help defensively.

Santiago Ascacíbar (4)

Valdés drove him crazy, as he did with all the Xeneize players. He was the most advanced midfielder, seemed like he would play as a right midfielder but didn't show much, and never managed to link up with a poor Barinaga. His bad night doesn't seem to be his fault.

Leandro Paredes (5)

Another one affected by the system and poor tactical setup, as well as his teammates' lack of effort. He tried to play neatly, but played too deep and clashed a lot with Delgado.

Boca lost 2-1 to Vélez.

Milton Delgado (3)

Weak performance. He clashed with Paredes, made serious errors in the build-up, and was often left alone trying to push the team forward. By the end, he was tired of having no passing options and threw his arms up, exposing the rest.

Kevin Zenón (2)

Zenón's fear of taking the ball and taking responsibility for Boca's play is alarming. His movements are confusing, he moves freely but doesn't get involved and disappears when most needed. It feels like he's beyond recovery.

Gonzalo Gelini (3)

Uncomfortable in a position he doesn't usually play, but the coach loves improvising with the youngsters and once again played a youth out of position. He couldn't make an impact, but it's not his fault.

Miguel Merentiel(2)

He wasn't ready to return, and that exposes the coach more than the Uruguayan himself, who true to his style, left the pitch frustrated. He didn't take a shot on goal and clearly lacked match fitness; his starting spot is questionable.

Iker Zufiaurre (5)

For scoring, he was the best of the bunch. He also added a great goal at the end, with a fine finish from outside the box. Completely lost at times, but more due to the system and lack of order in the team.

Ángel Romero (3)

Came on as the number nine and ended up playing as a second striker, since he was never going to get the ball otherwise. He tried, but never made an impact and it's understandable: he hasn't even been at the club for two weeks.

Marcelo Weigandt (3)

Little to nothing from someone who also lacked match fitness. Like all of Boca's options, none have any rhythm and it showed with Chelo, plus he doesn't offer anything different from what Barinaga can provide.

Tomás Aranda (5)

Along with Gelini and Zufiaurre, he's one of the few who can't be blamed for anything. The youngsters want to play and if the coach puts them in, they'll do it. He showed desire, attitude, and some interesting things, but there was little he could do when put in again in a tough situation on the scoreboard and in the game.

Claudio Úbeda (1)

Just like his position, his style is clear: he's an improviser. The system he barely tried clearly didn't work. His team never played the kind of football it should with the quality it has, and he insisted on playing several out of position: Ascacíbar is not a right midfielder nor should he be the first attacking option in midfield, Delgado and Paredes can't play in the same spot because they get in each other's way, and Gelini is not a second striker in a 4-4-2.

On top of that, there's the irresponsibility with which he handles the youngsters: when winning at La Bombonera, they don't come on, but when losing by more than a goal away, they're the ones expected to save the day. Embarrassing, and he is 99% responsible for today's defeat.

Read also:

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