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 “memorized eleven” that Claudio Úbeda is gradually trying to build—a decision that has partially worked in terms of footballing progress but hasn’t translated into results—won’t be able to have its fourth consecutive chapter against Instituto. With Santiago Ascacíbar’s injury confirmed, the coach is forced to make changes in the midfield and, although he will try out different options as the week goes on, he already has his main candidate: Ander Herrera.

Although the first indications could come this Wednesday at Boca Predio with some tactical work, and the decisive test will likely take place during the usual Thursday football drills at La Bombonera, it can already be anticipated that at this point, the information indicates that the coaching staff would lean toward the Basque as a starter.

After coming on against Unión in the second half following several matches on the bench—where he saw no action despite having recovered from a muscle tear—Úbeda believes that if Herrera is in optimal condition and meets the demands leading up to Sunday, he is the favorite to join the midfield. That is, to form a trio with Leandro Paredes and Milton Delgado, leaving Tomás Aranda with more freedom a few meters ahead.

And what if Herrera isn’t ready to start? If, on the other hand, the coaching staff doesn’t see the Basque as able to play so many minutes, Williams Alarcón, Alan Velasco, and Kevin Zenón—in that order of preference—are the other options that Boca’s coaching staff has on hand, considering that Tomás Belmonte is still recovering from a muscle injury.

After an irregular and erratic start, in which he seemed to blend in with the dynamic of a team lacking clear direction, Ascacíbar had improved his performance, providing tactical order, energy, and even scoring for Xeneize (he scored 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.

Given that there isn’t a player with characteristics similar to the former Estudiantes man, Sifón’s initial plan would be to restructure the formation with Herrera as an ally to the Paredes-Delgado tandem, a trio that already knows each other and has, at times, produced good results, in order to have a Boca side with good ball control in the center that can dominate the game against La Gloria—a match in which they need to take all 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 shouldn’t be ruled out that the coach might opt for tactical changes in defense. The coaching staff is concerned about several recurring issues lately, and there’s a sense that the back line hasn’t found stability.

The position causing the most headaches is right back, a spot Úbeda still hasn’t managed to solidify. Marcelo Weigandt has been starting, but his inconsistent performance puts his place in serious doubt for the next match against Instituto, so Juan Barinaga is back in the conversation.

The doubts aren’t limited to right back. The central defensive pairing of Lautaro Di Lollo and Ayrton Costa has also started to raise questions. Both had finished 2025 in good form and had established themselves as starters, even being one of Boca’s few high points at the end of last season. However, their level has dropped and the defense has lost solidity.

For now, Úbeda is sticking with the duo, but he is considering alternatives for the future, especially since the replacements have performed well when tested. Both Nicolás Figal and Marco Pellegrino made good impressions when given the chance 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.