Leandro Paredes makes first Superclásico start for Boca v River | OneFootball

Next Sunday, La Bombonera will be the stage for a special chapter in the personal history of Leandro Paredes. World champion with the national team and one of the most anticipated returns in Argentine football, the midfielder will have his first start in a Superclásico, a milestone that, despite his extensive international career, has yet to appear on his résumé.

Paredes already knows what it’s like to face River, although his memories of those clashes go back to a very different time. The first time was on October 28, 2012, when, at just 18 years old and with 385 minutes in the First Division, Julio César Falcioni decided to send him onto the field at the Monumental. Boca was losing 2-1, and the youngster dared to take the ball and participate in the play that led to the equalizer: a cross that resulted in Walter Erviti’s last-minute goal.

His second encounter came months later, under the guidance of Carlos Bianchi. On that occasion, he came on in the second half, replacing Lautaro Acosta, in a tightly contested Superclásico that ended 1-1 at La Boca. Since then, the footballing life of the San Justo native has taken a radical turn: Rome, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, a World Cup, and a return to the club of his dreams more than a decade later.

Today finds him with a different maturity and a leading role within Claudio Úbeda’s team. Captain and football leader, he will be the axis of Boca’s midfield against River. His shooting, his vision of the game, and his class will be key in a match where Boca will look to assert its presence through leadership and experience.

At 31 years old, Paredes will have the chance to write a new page in his story with the Boca jersey. It will be the first time that the midfielder, a champion of everything with the national team, leaves the locker room as a starter to play the most intense, passionate, and emblematic match in the country.

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