Xeneize, still awaiting a new coach, hosts Sabalero at La Bombonera and must secure a victory to climb the standings.
From the outset, Mouth and Colon face off on the tenth matchday of the Binance Tournament at the Alberto J. Armando stage, this Sunday starting at 21:30. The home team needs three points to close in on the top positions, while the visitors aim to escape the relegation danger and pull away from the bottom half of the table.
These are uncertain times for Boca Juniors. The club, still without a confirmed manager, approaches the debut of a lackluster draw in the Venezuela Libertadores cup. Even though the team played with a numerical disadvantage for a large portion of the match — and briefly with two players less — the evident gap in overall hierarchy raised expectations for a stronger showing.
Now there is a clear need to switch gears, refocus on domestic duties, and deal with a Sabalero squad enjoying a strong spell. Boca sits near the lower end of the league table, and the looming threat of relegation is a concern that has begun to weigh on the club and its supporters.
CALLED WITH THE MOUTH
The draw in Maturín took its toll in terms of fatigue for Mariano Herrón, though it did not result in serious injuries. The substitution of Dario Benedetto was the product of weariness, as he was required to contribute more than usual because of the numerical disadvantage. Michael Merentiel entered at 76 minutes and left at 83, but reports indicated he was temporarily immobilized by a calf issue and left the field with discomfort.
THE FORMATION OF MOUTH
The schedule is tight for Boca, with three games packed into a short period. On Thursday they played against Monagas, on Sunday they will confront Colón, and on Wednesday they have the classic against San Lorenzo. This run will demand rotation, making it likely that the coach rests some regular starters when possible.
This Friday at noon, the squad bound for Venezuela returned to Ezeiza. The team headed straight to the facilities to recover, refuel, and assess which players are best physically for the upcoming matches against the Santa Fe outfit and beyond.
ALTERNATIVE
To confirm.
Source: Goal