Boca already looking ahead to Unión, weighing whether Herrera is fit after Racing comeback

People are still talking about the comeback in Rosario, and already there's a new challenge to think about. Boca turned around a game that looked lost against Racing, with a hat trick from Enner Valencia that sent the team into the semifinals of the 2026 Copa Argentina, and now Rodolfo Arruabarrena's mind is on Unión, the opponent this Friday at La Bombonera.

The match is set for Friday the 2nd at 9:30 PM, for matchday 11 of the 2026 Torneo Clausura, and the Xeneize were back on the training field this Tuesday with the coaching staff keeping a close eye on every player. The mood inside the club is good, and so is the confidence, since Boca keep fighting on every front. But there's one issue that can't be ignored: the physical wear and tear after so many games in a row.

Because it's not all good news. The team is still without Tomás Aranda, a key piece in building play, who is out after an injury and subsequent surgery. Even with that significant absence, Boca have kept up a run of 15 games unbeaten, a number that's no accident and reflects how well the team has been playing lately.

In the Group A standings, the Xeneize sit 5th with 17 points, while Unión are 9th with 13, currently outside the playoff zone. For Boca, this is no ordinary match: a win would move them closer to the round of 16 and also keep them in the hunt in the Overall Table, where they're currently 3rd, four points behind Independiente Rivadavia and one behind Vélez.

The worrying doubt: Herrera's knock

Arruabarrena was clear about the first thing that needs to be sorted out before settling on a starting lineup: how the players who picked up knocks are recovering physically.

There are a few players, like Herrera, who took a knock. Nothing serious, but we have to see how they're doing.Rodolfo Arruabarrena

Facundo Herrera had to be substituted against Racing and ended up icing his right leg on the bench after a knock. That appears to be the only real doubt for the coach heading into the Unión match: if the defender isn't fit or the coaching staff decides to be cautious, Marco Pellegrino would step in, just as he did in the closing stretch of the game in Rosario.

The plan is to keep the same core group intact, taking advantage of the fact that after Unión there's a full week off before the next match, on Friday the 9th against Instituto, the zone leaders, in Córdoba.

In goal, there are no surprises: Leandro Brey will remain the starter, since Álvaro Montero is still away with the Colombian national team for the FIFA international window, something Arruabarrena himself explained in his press conference after the cup win.

In midfield and up front, everything points to Alan Velasco and Leonel Flores holding onto their starting spots, despite a strong showing off the bench from Carlos Palacios and a positive impact from Sebastián Villa during the comeback. There's actually news regarding Flores: the Argentine national team confirmed he'll be released after Wednesday's friendly against Bolivia to rejoin Boca. Still, Villa is pushing for a starting role, and it remains to be seen whether Arruabarrena gives him one.

Up front, the man still waiting for his shot as a starter is, ironically, the hero of Rosario: Valencia is likely to start on the bench again despite his historic hat trick. The Ecuadorian has boosted his confidence and is waiting for another opportunity.

Boca's possible lineup against Unión: Leandro Brey; Leandro Lozano, Lautaro Di Lollo, Facundo Herrera or Marco Pellegrino, Lautaro Blanco; Santiago Ascacibar, Leandro Paredes, Milton Delgado, Alan Velasco; Leonel Flores or Sebastián Villa, and Miguel Merentiel.