Weekly asado, the tradition Paredes brought in to unite the Boca squad | OneFootball

Boca changed under the guidance of Leandro Paredes on the field, there's no doubt about it. He was the cornerstone of the footballing reconstruction of a team that was stumbling along without a clear direction. But gradually, news is emerging that shows his influence extends beyond the playing field: off the field, he is also key, for example, by instilling the weekly barbecues among the team.

How is this? Since returning to Brandsen 805, his football home, he has taken on a leadership role in all areas and started to influence various matters, giving a 180-degree turn to the internal mood. The world champion, accustomed to the camaraderie that exists in the Argentine National Team—a crucial factor for the achievements attained—sought to create that unity at La Ribera as well.

In this regard, one of the ways he found to strengthen interpersonal bonds was to organize a barbecue among the players often, about once a week, usually at his home as a meeting point. Wednesdays, after the double training session, is the designated day. It's an open secret that Paredes himself is not only the host but also takes charge of grilling the cuts of meat.

The information resurfaced thanks to a photo posted by Juan Barinaga, currently the starting right-back for Claudio Úbeda in Boca's lineup, showing the entire team smiling in a garden—probably that of the number 5's house. The photo is not recent, but from one of those many gatherings the players have already had, clearly representing the good vibes prevailing in the group day to day.

From the key players (Edinson Cavani and Agustín Marchesín, among others) to those sidelined by the coaching staff (Cristian Lema, Lucas Blondel, Ignacio Miramón, and Frank Fabra) are present at the regular dinner, which has already become a sort of ritual and showcases the unity that exists today in Boca.

Although it may seem like a minor detail, a few weeks ago it was decided that during the concentration, only the team and the coaching staff would be present. Moreover, and this was an exclusive initiative by Paredes, the great leader of this renewed Boca, there are no longer any hairdressers, something common until recently; nor sellers of clothes, perfumes, and other accessories.

The world champion's idea is that before the matches, the intimacy is total and the focus is exclusively on what's coming. United in the goal of winning everything that remains in the only competition they are still participating in this year, the xeneize team has strengthened around Paredes and Edinson Cavani.

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