Boca Juniors has its league debut on the horizon, yet the club keeps a close eye on the Libertadores series as Almirón prepares to make strategic calls. The coach may soon face choices that shape the team’s path through both the local season and the continental campaign.
The start of the 2023 Professional League Cup marks a critical juncture for Boca. A few days after kicking off in the domestic championship, the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores begin, with Racing as the opponent. This scenario places Jorge Almirón at a crossroads about how to balance priorities across competitions and minutes for key players.
For now, the LPF has announced the opening fixtures, which place Boca in Zone B against Platense, with a Friday night contest at 9:30 PM at La Bombonera. The Ribera squad finished seventh in the tournament standings and must keep counting on the national league to secure a spot in the 2024 Libertadores qualifying rounds. [Goal]
THE CALL OF THE MOUTH
After a tense match with Nacional decided by penalties at Alberto J. Armando, the coach gave the squad a breather, explaining that the break had not come after a vacation but as a natural pause following the domestic title race. [Goal]
When the team reconvenes at the Ezeiza complex on Tuesday, Almirón will have access to reinforcements that were unavailable during the cup run, including Marcelo Saracchi and Ezequiel Bullaude. Attention also falls on Luca Langoni, who is in the final stages of recovery from several recent injuries and could be factoring into plans as minutes are allocated. [Goal]
THE MOUTH’S SHAPE
Almirón, facing an early crossroads, may alter Racing’s approach by rotating his own squad. With only nine days separating the Bolso clash from the upcoming rival, the aim is to field the strongest lineup in the league debut against Platense, potentially bringing Edinson Cavani back into the starting XI to add experience and scoring threat. [Goal]
Thursday is anticipated as the decisive day for confirming the starting eleven and finalizing the broader schedule, as the team has experimented with a variety of formations during training, including four-man and five-man backlines, five midfielders, or a trio of forwards with one wide option and another attacker. The debate includes whether to deploy a traditional number 9 or to rely on two defined striking options. [Goal]
ALTERNATIVE
To confirm. [Goal]
Source: Goal