Aranda, Flores, Gelini: Boca’s three youngsters join first team | OneFootball

The long list of injured forwards in Boca's current squad has forced Claudio Úbeda to rely on the youth players. Therefore, for the match against Estudiantes, the coach will call up Leonel Flores, Tomás Aranda, and Gonzalo Gelini, three great promises from the Reserve who have yet to debut in the First Division. Joining them is Íker Zufiaurre, who recently gained minutes in the debut against Riestra.

Without Edinson Cavani, Miguel Merentiel, Milton Giménez, and Alan Velasco, who recently injured his left knee, the "Sifón" had to use Lucas Janson as a center forward in the first official match of the year and the young Zufiaurre as his alternative. With the absence of the former Independiente player, he has now added three of Boca Predio's most prized gems to the roster. At first glance, one might be left out of the bench. Below, a small preview of what each can offer.

Gonzalo Gelini The fast 19-year-old left winger was one of the key pieces of the team led by Mariano Herrón at the end of 2025, with decisive interventions in winning the Copa Proyección Clausura, with five goals and six assists in 20 matches.

With power, ability to break through, and a smooth relationship with scoring, Gelini is another product of Boca Predio stepping up to put out a fire. Although initially, he would be a substitute against the Pincha, he is a natural option for the right-wing position, which currently has no owner. On the left, however, he has Exequiel Zeballos, the most unbalancing player on the team.

"I am more about speed, taking on opponents. I'm an attacker who goes straight to the goal. The forward must always look for the goal. And if not, an assist to a teammate," recently defined the forward who can play as a winger on both the right and left.

Tomás Aranda An 18-year-old playmaker, he enjoys exquisite technique, something scarce in current football. He debuted in the Reserve at the end of 2024 but consolidated in 2025. He played as a link in the classic 4-3-1-2 used by Boca in their youth teams and was one of the team's standout figures of the year, with great performances in the Clausura Proyección final against Gimnasia and in the Trofeo de Campeones against Vélez.

In addition to scoring four goals and providing four assists, the native of Ciudadela stands out for his ability to drive at speed and his skill in getting past opponents. Moreover, he is right-footed but has great control with both feet. With Alan Velasco and Carlos Palacios ahead of him, it will be difficult for him to secure a spot, but the experience with professionals will undoubtedly help him continue on this growing path. In May of this year, Boca secured him with a contract until December 2029.

Leonel Flores The young player from Béccar had a great start to 2025 in the team led by Mariano Herrón. He scored eight goals in the Apertura and was, along with Valentino Simoni, one of the team's top scorers during the first half of the year.

However, his level declined in the second part of the year to the point where he lost his starting position. He returned to action in the playoffs, where he responded excellently: he scored the winning goal against Lanús in the round of 16 and netted the 2-1 lead against Gimnasia in the extra time of the final. In total, he accumulated 10 goals and one assist in 33 matches.

He can move in all three attacking positions and can even play behind the double forward. This versatility provided many solutions to Mariano Herrón throughout the year and could be useful to Claudio Úbeda during, at least, the preseason.

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