Ander Herrera leads the race to replace Paredes for Boca against Barracas | OneFootball

After the 5-0 thrashing of Newell’s in the 11th round of the Torneo Clausura, Leandro Paredes boarded a plane and set off for Miami, where he will join the Argentina National Team ahead of the friendlies against Venezuela next Friday at 9 PM and against Puerto Rico the following Tuesday at 8 PM. Without their star and captain, Boca’s coaching staff will have to find a replacement for the crucial match against Barracas Central next Saturday at 2:30 PM. What options is Claudio Úbeda considering?

The frontrunner is Ander Herrera, the player who returned in the match against Defensa y Justicia, won the penalty that led to Xeneize’s temporary equalizer, and also played 20 minutes against La Lepra. Both appearances, in different match contexts, were positive for the Spaniard, whose last outing had been at the start of the Club World Cup against Benfica, more than three months ago.

The Spanish midfielder stands out among his competitors for two main reasons. First, in terms of experience, technique, and quality, he is the closest thing to Paredes within the Xeneize squad. Secondly, he is a player favored by Miguel Ángel Russo’s coaching staff. The coach spoke highly of him when he took over and wanted Ander to be the team’s linchpin during the Club World Cup. A muscle tear 19 minutes into the opening match sidelined him from the tournament, and only now are they able to get him back.

The second option is Chilean Williams Alarcón, an important substitute for the La Ribera side. The former Huracán player is usually one of the first choices off the bench; in fact, he has come on in 10 of the 11 Clausura matches. He generally replaces the attacking midfielder of the moment (either Carlos Palacios or Alan Velasco) and plays on the right flank.

Although he played as a double pivot at Globo, the coaching staff prioritizes other characteristics for that position, which is why the Colo-Colo youth product is behind Herrera in the pecking order.

With Milton Delgado playing in the U-20 World Cup with Argentina, the other two options left for Boca are Tomás Belmonte and Ignacio Miramón. Toto, an important player for Fernando Gago, has lost ground since the Club World Cup; meanwhile, the former Gimnasia player hasn’t played since the win over Estudiantes in the Torneo Apertura on April 19. Although both could make the bench, it’s highly unlikely they will start against Barracas.

Boca faces a key match against El Guapo. The big win over Newell’s allowed them to climb to first place in Zone A due to goal difference and also to second in the annual table, one point ahead of River. However, both tables are very tight, and failing to win against Rubén Darío Insua’s side could mean losing the privileged position they’ve earned. Xeneize, without their main star, will have to show character at the always tough Claudio Chiqui Tapia.

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