Boca heads to Platense with four changes as it manages the workload before Sudamericana

Boca arrives in Vicente Lopez with its head in two places at once. On Saturday, at 9:15 p.m., it visits Platense for matchday five of Group A in the 2026 Clausura Tournament, but Rodolfo Arruabarrena's mind is already on Tuesday too, when the team fights for a spot in the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals against Deportivo Recoleta. That double agenda is going to shape a good chunk of the lineup that takes the field at the Calamar's stadium.

The confidence boost is real. Boca comes in on the upswing after strong home showings at Estadio Tomas Adolfo Duco, riding the momentum of winning the Copa Argentina to open the year and of grinding out a tight but valuable result in the first leg of the Sudamericana round of 16. Along the way there was also a win over Estudiantes de La Plata and a draw with Velez in which the team deserved a lot more. The core group is working, and that is why Arruabarrena is not thinking about changing the setup, just about managing the workload.

The coach's plan is to make four changes from the team that beat Recoleta 3-1, all aimed at resting legs rather than fixing performances. The players in line to sit are Miguel Merentiel, Lautaro Di Lollo and Leandro Lozano, three regulars who have been logging minutes almost nonstop. There is also a question mark over Leandro Paredes, the captain, who did not play in the blowout loss to Riestra and had started every match since returning from the World Cup. He is now called up, and it remains to be seen whether he starts or comes on in the second half.

Who could come in for whom

In Di Lollo's spot, the first option is Nicolas Figal, while Lozano, despite being in good form, would give way to youngster Dylan Gorosito. Lautaro Blanco, on the other hand, would remain a starter despite the accumulated wear, since he barely got a halftime rest against Recoleta.

Merentiel's case has an extra wrinkle. The Uruguayan forward is not going through his best stretch and scored just one goal in the first leg against O'Higgins, but the lack of a natural replacement keeps him in the starting lineup. Enner Valencia's arrival brings future competition, though the Ecuadorian, fresh off playing in the World Cup, has not been called up yet and would only be in the picture for the return leg in the continental competition. That is why Merentiel would start again against Platense.

There are also question marks over youngsters Tomas Aranda and Leonel Flores, both considered key pieces of the team. Even so, there are strong options to replace them: Alan Velasco, who is in his best form since arriving at the club, could come in for Aranda, and Sebastian Villa, who grew into the Sudamericana match, is shaping up as an option in place of Flores.

The match will also have a particular twist: the Professional Football League authorized the presence of visiting fans, and Boca will bring close to 6,000 supporters who have already sold out their tickets for the game in Vicente Lopez.

Boca's likely lineup would have Alvaro Montero in goal; Dylan Gorosito, Nicolas Figal, Ayrton Costa and Lautaro Blanco on defense; Santiago Ascacibar, Leandro Paredes, Milton Delgado and Tomas Aranda in midfield; and Leonel Flores or Sebastian Villa alongside Miguel Merentiel up front.