Ibarra confirmed three returns and still has three questions

Boca’s squad trained yesterday at the Ezeiza venue, beginning the week of preparation to face River next Sunday, from 5:00 p.m., a superclassic in which three regular starters will return and three questions remain in the team’s formation.

After the victory against Colón in Santa Fe, the third victory in a row in the Professional League, those led by Hugo Ibarra will have the return of the Peruvian defender Luis Advíncula and the midfielders Alan Varela and Guillermo Fernández, who met the suspension date for having reached five yellow.

The winger will replace Facundo Roncaglia, the youthful Varela will return for Esteban Rolon and “Pol” will play for Martín Payero.

The three players played soccer in small spaces together with those who were not there or did so for a few minutes in Santa Fe, while those who played did reactivation exercises and were in the gym to relieve muscle loads.

Four days before the game, the team presents three unknowns in its training that will surely have answers in soccer practice on Thursday at the stadium.

The doubt about the names or the three positions has to do with knowing if Ibarra will continue with the 4-3-3 that he used last weekend or if he changes the drawing for a 4-4-2 or 3-5- 2 that Miguel Angel Russo, as coach, raised in the round of 16 of the 2021 Argentine Cup.

The rumor that began to spread in the “Boca world” is that the tactic made famous by Carlos Bilardo in the 1986 World Cup would be liked by Juan Román Riquelme, the club’s second vice president and in charge of club football.

It gave Boca the result in equality 0 to 0 against Gallardo’s men -then they qualified on penalties- in the match played in August 2021 at the Ciudad de La Plata stadium.

Close to Ibarra’s environment, they commented that even though he can do a test in the week with that system, it is difficult for him to use it on Sunday.

In that case, Advíncula and Fabra would be the markers at the ends and three central defenders in the middle: Nicolas Figal, Carlos Zambrano and Marcos Rojo.

But if the logic is given and the scheme that the coaching staff always used is sustained, one of the doubts is to know if Figal continues to be the starter as the first central defender or if Carlos Zambrano returns, who was on the bench against Colón to preserve him since he had four banns.

In the middle, Juan Ramírez practiced normally yesterday after having a very strong pain in his hip that prevented him from traveling to Santa Fe last weekend.

Benedetto is number one. Who will be the other attacker? The options: Vázquez, Langoni or Briasco

It is very feasible that the former San Lorenzo will start and it will be seen if the Paraguayan Oscar Romero is also in the midfield, more advanced shot from the right.

The midfielder, who left with a blow to his left knee against Colón, practiced today with the rest of his teammates.

On offense, “Pipa” Benedetto is “ranked number one” and it remains to be seen who is accompanying him: whether the youthful Luca Langoni, in what would be his first superclassic in the first division, Luis Vázquez or Norberto Briasco.

Another chance that is evaluated, but not so sure, is that Payero plays and that Romero is a midfielder next to “Pipa”.

VILLA AND ZEBALLOS, IN RECOVERY

Meanwhile, Sebastián Villa, operated on the menisci of his right knee, was in kinesiology for the first time, beginning his recovery, which is estimated to take place at the end of October.

At his side was “Changuito” Zeballos, who underwent surgery two weeks ago for a fracture in the posterior part of the tibia, with compromise in the right ankle ligament, for which he will not play until next year.

Cristian Medina, with acute plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and Diego “el Pulpo” González, with a strong muscular overload, practiced differently.

Boca returns to practice today from 9, in Ezeiza, and around 10:30 the training will open for the media, as it has been done in recent weeks

Boca fans will relive a superclassic at La Bombonera for the first time since October 2019, since three games were later played without an audience due to the coronavirus pandemic.

That is why the expectation is very great in the members and subscribers “xeneizes”, who far exceed the capacity of 56 thousand spectators that the Bombonera has.