Boca’s striker situation: who could return against Vélez | OneFootball

Amid the relief of a victory as deserved as it was necessary, Claudio Úbeda once again focused on the issue that most concerns Boca today and opened a door of hope for the match against Vélez: the possible recovery of one of the 9. “We are hoping for the return of our forwards so they can be ready to compete,” expressed the coach after the game, anticipating a crucial week at the Ezeiza facility.

What is the physical condition of Miguel Merentiel, Edinson Cavani, and Milton Giménez? The medical team is optimistic about the first two cases for next Sunday, especially regarding the Beast, as the Matador hasn't played for a long stretch and will need to take very gradual steps.

Merentiel suffered a tear in his right calf during the friendly against Olimpia in San Nicolás on January 18. For this type of injury, the estimated recovery time is around three weeks, although his progress has been positive, and at Boca, they believe he could be back among the squad for the weekend to get some minutes. Starting seems distant, but it's not ruled out that he might see action if he responds well in training.

Cavani's situation is more particular, and it was Úbeda himself who detailed it in a conference. The Uruguayan has been dealing with lower back pain that prevented him from having a normal preseason and kept him out of the friendlies and the first matches of the Apertura. It's a changing condition: there are days with pain and others when he manages to train more normally.

“Cavani has started doing progressive work, still without contact. Now, with a long week, we'll see if he can balance training with the group and assess if he's ready,” explained the coach, with the expectation of being able to call him up for the first time this year. If he makes it, it's most likely he will start on the bench.

The most complex scenario is that of Milton Giménez. The 28-year-old forward has been suffering from a groin injury for several months. Although he was able to finish 2025 as a starter, the discomfort forced him to stop at the start of this season. The surgical option has been ruled out, and he recently started a special, less invasive treatment in hopes of finding a solution, but his return will not be in the short term.

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