👨‍🏫Changes at BOCA: Úbeda breaks up the double striker partnership | OneFootball

After the euphoria of the 2-0 victory in the Superclásico and qualification for the 2026 Copa Libertadores, Boca Juniors is now focusing on the immediate goal: securing first place in Zone A of the Torneo Clausura. To gain the advantage of playing the playoffs at La Bombonera, they only need a draw against Tigre this Sunday.

Coach Claudio Úbeda is planning a team with rotations, aiming to rest key players.

The double striker duo is broken up

The main tactical move will be to break up the successful double striker formation, a setup that became established after Úbeda’s arrival. Center forward Milton Giménez will be rested, as he has accumulated four yellow cards and another booking would rule him out of the round of 16 match.

Since Edinson Cavani is still struggling with a strain, Miguel Merentiel will be the sole attacking reference. The last time Boca played without two strikers was in July. The absence of Giménez, who along with Merentiel is one of the team's top scorers with five goals, will force Úbeda to change the formation.

Tactical options for Úbeda

Úbeda has several alternatives: he can opt for a 4-2-3-1 with a single striker and two wingers (Zeballos and Aguirre, Zenón or Braida), or pack the midfield with the inclusion of midfielders like Ander Herrera, Tomás Belmonte, or Williams Alarcón.

In addition to the absence of Giménez and the enforced absence of Lautaro Di Lollo, the coach is expected to rest Carlos Palacios (with a knee issue) and Juan Barinaga, who is suffering from muscle overload after 12 consecutive starts. This alternative Boca side will look to seal the top spot against a Tigre team that also needs points to qualify.

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

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