Carlos Palacios Could Return to Boca's Starting Lineup After Nine Months

Nine months. That's how long Carlos Palacios has gone without a start in Boca Juniors' shirt, and this Saturday that wait could finally come to an end. The Chilean has a real shot at starting when the Xeneize visit Gimnasia y Esgrima de Mendoza at 3:30 PM, in the latest round of Argentina's Clausura tournament.

The reasoning isn't a coincidence or a stroke of luck for the midfielder who came up through Union Espanola's academy. Boca arrives with heavy legs: midweek, the club knocked out Velez Sarsfield on penalties in the Copa Argentina, and just days before that had drawn with Sao Paulo in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals. With that congested calendar, Rodolfo Arruabarrena is reportedly considering shaking up his lineup and resting several regulars, according to TyC Sports.

That's where the opportunity opens up for Palacios. Alan Velasco has held down the attacking midfield role on a regular basis, but the coach is said to be weighing a rotation with an eye on what's ahead. Adding to the mix is another factor narrowing the options in that part of the field: Tomas Aranda suffered an injury that will keep him out until 2027, which thins the available choices for that spot and pushes the Chilean toward a starting role.

It's worth remembering the physical ordeal Palacios has been through this year. Synovitis in his right knee kept him off the field for several months, and he only managed to return to play in mid-July. Since then, his minutes have been scarce: just twenty minutes split between the win over Sarmiento de Junin on July 16 and the clash with Velez on September 2. Not much time to find his rhythm, but also a sign that he's now fit for minutes that demand more of him.

If Arruabarrena ultimately includes him in the starting eleven, Palacios will snap a streak that has been weighing on him: his last start for Boca came on December 7, 2025, against Racing de Avellaneda. Since then, it's been brief appearances, minutes doled out sparingly, and recovery from an injury that gave him real trouble.

The matchup against Gimnasia de Mendoza isn't, on paper, the toughest test on the schedule, but it could be exactly the stage the Chilean needs to rediscover his competitive rhythm. Boca, meanwhile, is looking beyond this afternoon's result: thoughts are already turning to the return leg against Sao Paulo in the Sudamericana, and any player who can bank fresh minutes now also banks options for what's coming.