Claudio Úbeda on the Barcelona thrashing and the Superclásico | OneFootball

After the emphatic 3-0 win over Barcelona in the second matchday of the Copa Libertadores group stage, Claudio Úbeda shared his thoughts on the team’s great level, lamented Marchesín’s injury, and already set his sights on Sunday’s clash against River at the Monumental.

The Copa win brought satisfaction to the Xeneize bench. After sealing a home thrashing against a tough opponent, Claudio Úbeda analyzed the team’s current form, with no time to relax: “How do we keep going? Training tomorrow afternoon and thinking about the next match. Obviously with the joy of a good result, a good performance, from a team that fought together, and that makes me happy. Tomorrow we get up, train, and start thinking about Sunday’s Superclásico right away.”

Breaking down the course of the match, the coach acknowledged his players’ gradual improvement in unlocking the Ecuadorian side’s setup. “The truth is it was a great match. For me, in the first 20 or 25 minutes the game was fairly even, with us looking more threatening near their goal, but possession was a bit shared,” he admitted.

Boca thrashed Barcelona 3-0. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

However, Sifón pointed out the turning point that set up the win: “I think that after the stoppage (for hydration) in the first half, we started to take much clearer control, and that continued until we scored. For the rest of the match, I think we were able to maintain our play, keep possession, and sustain the number of chances the team created.” Despite the wide margin, he warned the scoring could have been even greater: “The result could have been much more comfortable if we had been more accurate, but the good thing is that we’re creating those chances.”

Praise for the squad and the sad note of the day

The strategist greatly valued the team’s tactical intelligence in overcoming an opponent that usually causes problems away from home. “For me, the players’ work today is very valuable, because Barcelona is a team that normally gets better results away than at home. We had the patience to know how to break down that defense so we could make the difference,” he explained.

He also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of set pieces and the individual performances of some of his players: “It’s important that we scored again from a set piece too, with Lauti Di Lollo scoring with a header. Santi Ascacíbar had a great game, he was very involved in moves ending in scoring positions, and that helps when thinking about what’s coming next.”

The only blemish on the night was the injury to one of his key players, a situation the coach did not overlook. “As for Agustín, unfortunately it’s a serious, major loss for us. All that remains is to stand by him and give him all the support he needs depending on what the injury ultimately turns out to be,” he lamented.

Marchesín had to be substituted due to injury. Photo: CONMEBOL.

Claudio Úbeda with his mind on the Monumental

With the three continental points in the bag, Boca is already thinking about the Superclásico. Asked about the physical wear and tear just a few days before visiting River on Sunday at 5:00 p.m., Úbeda sounded optimistic. “When you win, you recover faster. Your mood also helps speed up that recovery. I think we’ll be in good shape for that match,” he said.

On the week’s planning and putting together the starting eleven, he detailed: “Today is Tuesday, we have until Sunday to recover. So we’ll see how the more tired players progress, see how these first few days of the week go, and then, closer to the weekend, we’ll start making decisions about who will be ready to play.”

Lautaro Di Lollo opened the scoring. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

Finally, he closed the press conference with a strong message about the main objective for the weekend: “Now yes, fully focused, with our minds set on Sunday’s Superclásico and on playing the best match possible.”

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