Úbeda awaits Merentiel, considers keeping Gelini in Boca’s starting XI | OneFootball

Boca begins a new week of training this afternoon after a day off following their good victory against Newell's. Claudio Úbeda will be keeping an eye on the progress of Miguel Merentiel and Edinson Cavani, and he will also look to fine-tune the functioning of the starting 11 with Santiago Ascacíbar and, very likely, the presence once again of the young Gonzalo Gelini.

The need to recover one of the center forwards is urgent. Although it was challenging, Íker Zufiaurre was the one who filled that position in the last two matches, instead of Lucas Janson, the starter who was injured in the debut of the Torneo Apertura. The youngster, naturally a winger, struggled in a position that is not his own and was substituted at halftime against Newell's. Ángel Romero, his replacement, provided immediate solutions but is still out of shape.

Therefore, having the two Uruguayans train normally as soon as possible will be important for the tough visit to Liniers this weekend. Merentiel is the one most likely to play: he would arrive just in time with 21 days of recovery after the tear he suffered in the friendly against Olimpia on January 18th.

Cavani, on the other hand, will seek to be present in the football practice after gradually increasing his workload, and although his return is getting closer, it's unlikely he will start against Fortín. The idea is to take the necessary precautions so that the back pain that has been bothering him since the end of 2025 (he received a block in the area) does not worsen and allows him to be available for what lies ahead.

Meanwhile, after Alan Velasco's injury, Úbeda tested alternatives to fill the left winger position. The natural replacement, Kevin Zenón, has had good performances, but always as a substitute. The coach's idea is to keep Gonzalo Gelini in the position, who had a decent performance in the victory over Newell's last Sunday.

The 19-year-old left winger was one of the key players in the Reserve team led by Mariano Herrón at the end of 2025. This year he debuted in the First Division against Estudiantes, providing an assist for Exequiel Zeballos and leaving a good impression. Against Lepra, he had his first start, and Sifón himself praised him in a press conference. "Gelini did well, he's a boy with physical strength and commitment, he took on the responsibility of playing in Boca's First Division and did well, which makes us happy," he expressed in a press conference.

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