Úbeda has his pick to replace Ascacíbar, more changes on the cards at Boca | OneFootball

After the injury of the former Estudiantes player, Úbeda is considering the options available to replace him, and the Basque is the main favorite to join the midfield.

The lineup that Claudio Úbeda gradually wants to establish, a decision that has partially worked from a footballing progress standpoint but hasn't translated into results, won't have its fourth consecutive chapter against Instituto. With Santiago Ascacíbar's confirmed injury, the coach is forced to make changes in the midfield and, although he will test different options throughout the week, he already has his main candidate: Ander Herrera.

Although this Wednesday at Boca Predio there might be the first indications with some tactical work, and the decisive test will likely take place during the usual Thursday football practices at La Bombonera, it's already anticipated that at this point the information suggests that the coaching staff would lean towards the Basque as the starter.

After his entry against Unión in the second half following a few matches on the bench - where he didn't see action despite recovering from a tear - Úbeda understands that if Herrera is in optimal condition and meets the demands before Sunday, he is the favorite to join the midfield. That is, to form a trio with Leandro Paredes and Milton Delgado, leaving Tomás Aranda freer a few meters ahead.

And if Herrera isn't ready to start? If internally they don't see the Basque ready to play many minutes, Williams Alarcón, Alan Velasco, and Kevin Zenón - in that order of preference - are the other options the Boca coaching staff has on hand, considering that Tomás Belmonte is still recovering from a muscle injury.

After an irregular and erratic start, where he seemed to blend with the dynamics of a team without a clear direction, Ascacíbar had improved his performance, providing tactical order, coverage, and goal-scoring ability to Xeneize (scoring against Lanús and Gimnasia de Mendoza). With his absence on Sunday at La Bombonera, Úbeda loses a key piece and the intention would be to replace him with Herrera.

Considering he doesn't have a player with similar characteristics to the former Estudiantes player, Sifón's initial plan would be to restructure the scheme with Herrera as an ally of the Paredes-Delgado tandem, a trio that already knows each other and has been effective at times, to achieve a Boca with good control in the center that can dominate the game against Gloria, a match in which they need to secure three points after four consecutive draws at La Bombonera.

Úbeda considers more changes at Boca

Beyond the mandatory change due to Ascacíbar's absence, it's not out of the question that the coach might resort to tactical changes in defense. The coaching staff is concerned about several recurring issues lately, and the feeling is that the defensive block hasn't found stability.

The position causing the most headaches is the right-back, a position Úbeda still hasn't managed to consolidate. Marcelo Weigandt has been the starter, but his inconsistent performance puts him in serious doubt for the next match against Instituto, which means Juan Barinaga is back in the discussion.

The doubts aren't limited to the right-back. The central duo of Lautaro Di Lollo and Ayrton Costa has also started to raise questions. Both had finished 2025 at a good level and had established themselves as starters, even being one of the few high points for Boca at the end of last season. However, their performance has declined, and the defense has lost solidity.

For now, Úbeda maintains the duo but is evaluating future alternatives, especially because when substitutes were tested, they responded well. Both Nicolás Figal and Marco Pellegrino left good impressions in the opportunities they had and appear as options if he decides to make changes.

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