Boca Faces Central Cordoba With Leandro Brey in Goal and Midfield Changes After Rey Domenech Injury

Eleven backups, a goalkeeper flying to Colombia for a family matter, and a midfielder ruled out at the last minute with a physical issue. That's how Boca arrives at Friday's match against Central Cordoba, for matchday nine of the 2026 Torneo Clausura. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. (Argentina, Uruguay and Chile time) and the match will air on ESPN Premium.

Vasco Arruabarrena has his mind on something else, and understandably so: next Tuesday Boca travels to face Sao Paulo in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals, and there's no room for experiments there. The problem is that Boca has to play at the Bombonera first, and a stumble against the Ferroviario could complicate the team's push to finish among the top three in the Annual Table. It's no easy balance for the coach to strike.

The most striking news concerns the goal. Alvaro Montero asked for permission to travel to Colombia to say goodbye to his grandmother, someone very close to the goalkeeper, and both the coaching staff and club management granted it without a second thought. Taking his place will be Leandro Brey.

In defense, injuries are also forcing changes. Ayrton Costa did not recover in time and Rodrigo Battaglia returned to training, though not yet at full pace with the group. Given that, the center back pairing is expected to be Nicolas Figal and Marco Pellegrino, while Dylan Gorosito would start at right back. On the left, there's a battle between Matias Satas and Lautaro Blanco, and it's still unclear who will get the nod.

The midfield had its own scare. Camilo Rey Domenech looked like an undisputed starter, but on Thursday morning he felt discomfort, underwent tests, and was ruled out of the match. That absence forced Arruabarrena to call up two players from the youth ranks: 19 year old forward Rodrigo Bacigalupe and 20 year old midfielder Lautaro Mendieta.

Rey Domenech's absence also changed the tactical setup: Boca would shift from a 4-3-1-2 to a 4-3-3, with Tomas Belmonte, Williams Alarcon and Carlos Palacios in midfield, the latter playing a bit deeper than usual.

Up front, two names are considered locks: Enner Valencia and Sebastian Villa have their spots secured. The third attacker would be Angel Romero, though Arruabarrena hasn't ruled out using Alan Velasco instead.

With all this, Boca's probable lineup would be: Leandro Brey; Dylan Gorosito, Nicolas Figal, Marco Pellegrino and Matias Satas or Lautaro Blanco; Tomas Belmonte, Carlos Palacios and Williams Alarcon; Sebastian Villa, Angel Romero and Enner Valencia.

A team with several unfamiliar faces, yes, but with a clear plan to arrive fit and free of physical setbacks for that return leg against Sao Paulo just four days away.