Ander Herrera still training apart: his situation and what Boca think | OneFootball

The Spaniard has been in recovery for 38 days and still cannot train alongside his teammates. The stance of the Xeneize coaching staff is not to rush him to avoid aggravating his injury, so he is not expected to travel to Mar del Plata this weekend.

Midfielder Ander Herrera still cannot train with his teammates and his return to the pitch remains uncertain at Boca. Miguel Ángel Russo’s intention is not to hurry his recovery, which is believed to be in its final stage, so he is expected not to be included in the squad list for the trip to Mar del Plata.

In yesterday’s training session, the Spaniard did not take part in the small-sided game with the players who didn’t play against Banfield. Instead, he did intense fieldwork alongside Tomás Belmonte, who is also recovering from a grade III muscle injury in his right hamstring, suffered before the derby against Racing.

Despite being one of the most high-profile names in the squad, the Xeneize coaching staff’s approach is not to rush him and to bring him along gradually, aiming to prevent any relapse of previous injuries and avoid losing him for an even longer period. Therefore, it is very likely he will not be called up to face Aldosivi next Sunday in Mar del Plata.

It’s worth remembering that the former Athletic Bilbao player has been recovering for 37 days since the discomfort he felt during training on July 21, ahead of the match against Atlético Tucumán for the Copa Argentina, a game in which Miguel Ángel Russo had hoped he would return to action.

The fact is, the 36-year-old midfielder hasn’t set foot on the pitch for over two months. His last appearance was during Boca’s debut in the Club World Cup, against Benfica, where he had to request a substitution due to discomfort and was only on the field for 19 minutes.

Unfortunately, Herrera’s time at Brandsen 805 has been plagued by injuries, and the numbers reflect this: four muscle tears in six months. These have meant he has only been able to play nine matches. Of those, he started six and managed to string together four consecutive starts (Aldosivi, Alianza Lima, Rosario Central, and Central Córdoba). In total, he has only accumulated 442 minutes in blue and yellow.

But even once he is fully recovered, it is not certain he will return to the starting lineup. The strong performances of Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo Battaglia as a double pivot suggest that it will be difficult for the Spaniard to earn a chance. However, it should not be overlooked that he is one of Russo’s favorites, and a possible partnership with Argentina’s number 5, whom he played with at PSG, would make for an elite midfield in Argentine football. Still, these are only assumptions, as Ander still has no set return date.

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