Boca head to Cruzeiro with a chance to take control in Copa Libertadores | OneFootball

The Xeneize, unbeaten in 14 matches and leading Group D with a perfect record, will play this Tuesday in Belo Horizonte starting at 9:30 p.m. Úbeda will field his strongest lineup.

In their best spell of recent years, Boca Juniors will face a key test this Tuesday in the Copa Libertadores when they visit Cruzeiro at 9:30 p.m. at the Mineirao Stadium, for the third matchday of Group D.

The team coached by Claudio Úbeda comes into the match in top form, on a run of 14 games unbeaten, with a perfect record in the group and a real chance to take a decisive step toward the round of 16 of the continental tournament.

Even with player rotation, the Xeneize have shown remarkable solidity, as seen in the emphatic 4-0 win over Defensa y Justicia, which has cemented not only a reliable starting eleven but also important options off the bench.

In addition, the coaching staff are closely monitoring the progress of Carlos Palacios and Edinson Cavani, who are close to returning from their respective injuries.

Úbeda fields his strongest side in Belo Horizonte

In what looked like the toughest match of the group stage, Boca will go with their starting lineup, with just one forced change: Leandro Brey will be in goal in place of the injured Agustín Marchesín.

The defense is already nearly automatic with Marcelo Weigandt, Lautaro Di Lollo, Ayrton Costa and Lautaro Blanco, while the high-quality midfield will be led by captain Leandro Paredes, alongside Santiago Ascacíbar, Milton Delgado and Tomás Aranda.

Up front, the bet will once again be on the two-striker setup that has been producing results: Miguel Merentiel and Adam Bareiro.

Cruzeiro, under pressure to respond

On the other side will be a Cruzeiro side that urgently needs points. The Brazilian club comes into this Libertadores match under pressure after a 2-1 home defeat to Universidad Católica, having opened with a win over Barcelona de Ecuador.

That setback significantly reduced their margin for error and turned the clash against Boca into a true final for their qualification hopes.

On the domestic front, the team coached by Artur Jorge is coming off an important win over Remo in the Brasileirão, a result that allowed them to move away from the relegation zone.

That victory was so badly needed that the coach chose not to rest his starters, despite the proximity of the Copa match.

Possible lineups

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