Double striker on the cards: Úbeda’s options against Racing | OneFootball

In the last soccer practice before a decisive match for their future, the coach surprised with changes in all lines and returned to basics regarding the system.

In a crucial match for his future, Claudio Úbeda decided to shake things up. In the last practice before the clash against Racing this Friday, the Boca coach not only made three changes compared to the team that had been playing, but also changed the formation for the first time this year, opting for a 4-4-2.

The initial changes he tested were Marcelo Weigandt for Juan Barinaga, Milton Delgado instead of Leandro Paredes, and Gonzalo Gelini (as a midfielder) for Lucas Janson. The changes did not go unnoticed: two of the players who were taken out had been criticized for their poor performance in the last match against Platense, while the captain's exit is strictly linked to his ankle sprain.

With this setup, Úbeda's plan is to have a more compact Boca, with greater balance in the midfield and two clear offensive references. The intention is to gain order and aggressiveness in an adverse context, with the pressure of the result and the atmosphere surrounding the coach, once again against Racing, a club with which he is identified and that dealt him a hard blow in November 2025.

During the practice, the coach also tested some alternatives: Tomás Belmonte came in for a segment for Gelini, and Edinson Cavani had minutes in place of Ángel Romero, signs that, although the starting eleven seems quite set, there are still details to be defined.

Boca's practice sent a clear message: in a crucial week with increasingly limited credit, Úbeda chose to surprise, change names, and modify the structure to try to change the team's image. The result at La Bombonera will tell if the drastic change was timely or if it deepens the doubts in a cycle going through decisive hours.

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