Paredes on Di María: Hard to convince him for Copa América, he’s decided | OneFootball

Boca Juniors regained their best form at a crucial moment in the season. In the postponed match of the seventh round of the Torneo Apertura, the team from La Ribera convincingly defeated Lanús 3-0 at "La Fortaleza." However, beyond the three points that place the "Xeneize" in sixth position in Zone A (with 12 points), the big news of the night was the stellar reappearance of Leandro Paredes.

A healthy ankle and high-flying football

After missing the last matches against Racing and the cup ties against Gimnasia de Chivilcoy and Gimnasia de Mendoza, the central midfielder of the Argentine National Team dispelled any doubts about his physical condition. "The ankle is fine. The break was for the better because it finished deflating. These are processes I have to follow, but I felt very comfortable," the midfielder confessed in an interview with ESPN after the final whistle.

His presence was not merely symbolic. Paredes controlled the pace of the game with the authority that characterizes him, being the pivot of a Boca team that, in his own words, gave "the image we want to give." His peak performance came 19 minutes into the second half when he delivered a surgical through pass that broke two defensive lines to leave Miguel Merentiel one-on-one with Nahuel Losada, allowing the Uruguayan to chip the ball over for the definitive 3-0.

Chronicle of a necessary thrashing

The match started favorably for the visitors early on. At 14 minutes, Santiago Ascacibar captured a rebound at the edge of the area and unleashed a volley that, after deflecting off defender José Canale, nestled into the left corner of the "Granate" goal. Lanús, managed by Mauricio Pellegrino, never found a way to counter Boca's game plan.

At 29 minutes, a run down the left by Tomás Aranda ended in a cross that Losada couldn't firmly hold; the rebound fell perfectly to Merentiel, who headed in for a 2-0 lead into an unguarded net. The second half served to consolidate Boca's tactical dominance and for Paredes to round off his great night with the assist to the "People's Striker."

The focus on the National Team: Between the Finalissima and the "Di María operation"

Paredes' recovery comes at a highly significant moment for the Argentine National Team. With the Finalissima against Spain just around the corner (March 27) and the 2026 World Cup on the near horizon, Scaloni breathes a sigh of relief to have one of his midfield leaders back.

However, Paredes was asked about the possibility of seeing Ángel Di María in the next World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and his response was realistic: "Of course, I would like 'Fideo' to play in the World Cup, but it was very hard to convince him to play in the Copa América. He has already made a decision, and it will be very difficult to bring him back." With these words, the midfielder practically closed the door on a return of the historic winger, focusing on the group currently leading the process towards defending the title.

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