After reaching the Libertadores final, Boca Juniors fielded many reserve players in their Tuesday match against Belgrano and suffered a 4-3 loss.
The match happened in Córdoba as part of the Copa de la Liga Argentina. From the team that played Palmeiras last week, only four players started.
These included midfielders Medina, Ezequiel Fernández, Valentín Barco, and forward Merentiel. Rojo entered in the second half.
Belgrano’s Passerini scored first. Then, Boca took a brief lead with goals from Benedetto and Merentiel.
But Belgrano regained the lead before halftime, thanks to goals from Barinaga, Passerini, and Rolón.
In the second half, Merentiel scored again but couldn’t prevent the loss. Despite being a Libertadores finalist, Boca has only two wins in their last 15 games.
They now struggle to qualify for next year’s tournament. Currently, they rank 11th in their Copa de la Liga group.
They are five points behind Godoy Cruz, who is fourth. Meanwhile, Belgrano leads the group. There are other paths to the Libertadores for Boca.
One is the Argentine League, won by River Plate earlier this year. Another is the yearly aggregate table, where Boca is currently eighth.
Also, Boca can qualify by winning the Copa Argentina. They face Talleres in the quarter-finals. The winner gets a spot in the next Libertadores.
Their match against Talleres will take place on Sunday. The stadium is Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza.
Lastly, Boca’s Libertadores final against Fluminense is on November 4. They aim for their seventh title in the competition.
Background
Boca Juniors is one of Argentina’s most successful clubs. They have a rich history in both national and international competitions.
However, recent performance has been less consistent. Struggling in the domestic league could signal deeper issues within the team.
Additionally, reaching the Libertadores final while underperforming in domestic games is puzzling.
This could point to a focus on international competition at the expense of league performance.
It also raises questions about the team’s depth, as reserve players couldn’t secure a win against Belgrano.
Lastly, their upcoming matches are crucial. Winning the Libertadores or the Copa Argentina may be their best shots at salvaging the season.
Failure to qualify for next year’s Libertadores would be a significant setback for a club of Boca’s stature.