Boca Juniors will host the first leg of the Libertadores semifinal at La Bombonera with the full squad available, save for Langoni who remains sidelined. The club’s most storied motto, La Séptima, is within reach as the squad stands three wins away from securing another remarkable title. Yet, the road back to glory is widely acknowledged as demanding, and even with lofty expectations to lift the Copa Libertadores for a second time in 16 years, the team understands the challenge ahead.
Following a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Racing in the quarterfinals, the team led by coach Ribera now turns its attention to Palmeiras, a club that has claimed continental supremacy in recent seasons by lifting the crown in 2020 and 2021 and consistently ranking among the continent’s elite for four consecutive years. The encounter represents a clash between two storied clubs with deep roots in South American football and a history of memorable duels in international competition.
The matchup’s first leg is scheduled for Thursday, August 28, at La Bombonera, coming on the heels of the Professional League Cup’s venerable Superclásico. Jorge Almirón has already been evaluating personnel for the clash, testing a lineup that could mirror the approach used in the qualifiers against Palmeiras while remaining adaptable to the opponents’ tactical tempo.
In Tuesday’s training session, the head coach surprised expectations by deploying an aggressively minded 4-3-3 formation, moving away from the more traditional three central defenders and two full-backs arrangement that had been favored in earlier knockout games. A notable change was the absence of Valentín Boateng Langoni from the starting eleven, a decision that drew attention as the team prepared for the high-stakes leg. Edinson Cavani, who has faced questions about form, remained trusted by the coaching staff as a key attacking reference. Luis Advíncula appeared on the right wing in a dynamic role, while Lucas Blondel operated at right-back. On the left flank, Lucas Janson was a constant threat in attack, and Exequiel Zeballos appeared to be positioned as a versatile substitute option ready to contribute as the match unfolds.
Players called up for Boca
Coach Almirón has not publicly finalized the full list of starters for the first leg, but the overall depth of the squad provides confidence. With Langoni unavailable due to injury, the group retains enough firepower and experience to contend with a Palmeiras side that has repeatedly proven its quality on the continental stage.
Boca’s likely formation
Sergio Romero; Lucas Blondel, Nicolás Figal, Marcos Rojo, Frank Fabra; Cristian Medina, Pol Fernández, Ezequiel Fernández; Luis Advíncula, Edinson Cavani, Lucas Janson.