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

Boca Juniors regained their best form at a crucial moment in the season. In the postponed match from the seventh round of the Torneo Apertura, the team from La Ribera asserted their authority with a 3-0 victory over Lanús 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 return of Leandro Paredes.

A healthy ankle and top-class football

After missing the recent matches against Racing and the cup clashes against Gimnasia de Chivilcoy and Gimnasia de Mendoza, the central midfielder for the Argentine National Team dispelled any doubts about his physical condition. “The ankle is fine. The break was for the best because it finally stopped swelling. 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 far from symbolic. Paredes controlled the tempo of the match with the class that defines him, acting as the axis of a Boca side that, in his own words, showed “the image we want to show.” His peak performance came at the 19th minute of the second half, when he delivered a surgical through ball that broke two defensive lines to leave Miguel Merentiel one-on-one with Nahuel Losada, allowing the Uruguayan to chip the goalkeeper for the definitive 3-0.

Chronicle of a much-needed rout

The match started favorably for the visitors early on. In the 14th minute, Santiago Ascacibar picked up a rebound at the edge of the box and fired a volley that, after deflecting off defender José Canale, nestled into the top left corner of the “Granate” goal. Lanús, managed by Mauricio Pellegrino, could never figure out how to disrupt Boca’s flow of play.

In the 29th minute, a run down the left by Tomás Aranda ended in a cross that Losada failed to hold onto; the rebound fell perfectly for Merentiel, who headed in for a partial 2-0 into an empty net. The second half served to consolidate Boca’s tactical dominance and allowed Paredes to cap off his great night with the assist to the “People’s Goalscorer.”

Eyes on the National Team: Between the Finalissima and the “Di María operation”

Paredes’ recovery comes at a moment of utmost importance 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 can breathe a sigh of relief as he regains one of his midfield leaders.

Nevertheless, Paredes was asked about the possibility of seeing Ángel Di María at the next World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and his response was realistic: “Of course I’d like ‘Fideo’ to play at the World Cup, but it was very hard to convince him to play the Copa América. He’s already made his decision and it will be very difficult to bring him back.” With these words, the midfielder practically closed the door on a return for the legendary winger, focusing instead on the group currently leading the charge to defend the title.

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