Bad news for Boca: Santiago Ascacíbar picks up a muscle injury | OneFootball

The midfielder requested to be substituted against Unión due to discomfort and underwent medical checks today that delivered the verdict. He will be sidelined from the pitch for about three weeks.

A fixture in the midfield since his arrival at Boca and a scorer in the two matches prior to the visit to Santa Fe, Santiago Ascacíbar was unable to finish the match against Unión and has been ruled out for the game against Instituto due to a hamstring injury, as revealed by the medical examination he underwent today.

“Ascacíbar had to come off because his hamstring was bothering him. I communicated with him visually and he gave me the signal,” Claudio Úbeda explained in a press conference. The Ruso left the pitch just six minutes into the second half and was visibly upset as he walked off. Ánder Herrera came on in his place and could be his replacement next Saturday.

The former Estudiantes player is the perfect link to connect the Leandro Paredes – Milton Delgado duo with Tomás Aranda and the attacking line. His dynamism and ability to get into the opponent’s box are qualities not found elsewhere in the squad (Tomás Belmonte, who is injured, shares some aspects of his game), which is why Sifón will be closely monitoring his recovery in the coming weeks.

Despite the bad news that this absence brings, the Ribera side can take comfort in the upcoming FIFA break that will pause Argentine football, meaning the number of matches he will miss won’t be as high.

Since joining Xeneize, Ascacíbar has started every match in the Torneo Apertura and was only substituted in the draw against Gimnasia de Mendoza, at the 30th minute of the second half. The injury comes at the worst possible time, as he was enjoying his best form as part of the ideal midfield the coach had found in recent games.

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