Boca and Independiente, with opposite realities, open the post-World Cup football season in Qatar

You will find the first pre-season friendly of 2023 Mouth And Independent -precisely the rivals of the last round of the professional championship conquered by Hugo Ibarra’s men- in San Juan to kick off the football year of two greats of the local tournament, even if with very different presences and with disparate objectives in this preparation.

It is that while the last two-time local champion wants to refine the details of his team for the start of another championship, those of Avellaneda must shape a new cycle – not only institutional – which will have Leandro Stillitano as coach. It will broadcast Star + from 21:30. as part of an international triangular which also has Everton from Chile.

As he settles the incorporation of a central goalscorer at the weekend – it will be Colombian William Tesillo in Abu Dhabi for 20 January. That is why there will be strong surnames on each line.

Rossi will be goalkeeper, Advíncula and Fabra the full-backs and Agustín Sández will be tested in defence, in a position he knows from the reserve but who want to see if he can also exploit maximum demand. And in midfield will be Alan Varela, who has asked to wear the number 5 shirt for this season, surrounded by Pol Fernández and Juan Ramírez, in what appears to be an ideal midfield. Óscar Romero and Cristian Medina (are you looking for him from Italy?) appear as options, as do Martín Payero and Ezequiel Fernández, who have returned from Tigre and will remain in the squad.

The attack will see the participation of Villa and Briasco as wingers and Nicolás Orsini, although Ibarra’s intention is to rotate during the friendly and give minutes to Exequiel Zeballos -he hasn’t played for 4 months-, Langoni and Luis Vázquez. who have left a hernia operation and try to prepare. All clear enough.

In Independiente, on the other hand, everything has to be put together. Not only is he rearranging himself at an institutional level after the change of leadership in the government now chaired by Fabián Doman, but also with the structure that Stillitano will have to give him on the playing field. It is a DT who will also have to keep up with the competition but who has the great challenge of giving Independiente back something it hasn’t achieved for 20 years: a local Scudetto, boosted by being the only big one who will have no competition international.

Despite debts and inhibitions – with trials that have yet to begin and complex scenarios from an economic point of view – this Independiente has changed many surnames, including those who have left the club and others who have not even been taken into consideration. However, from management they have moved on and that is why they have rushed the arrival of incorporations for what is coming.

That is why Colombian Mauricio Cuero (Banfield), Uruguayan Martín Cauteruccio (Aldosivi), goalkeeper Rodrigo Rey (Gymnastics), Matías Giménez (San Martín de San Juan), Agustín Mulet (Vélez), Damián Pérez (Arsenal) have already They joined. , Luciano Gomez (Argentinos Juniors) and Kevin Lopez (Quilmes). With others to deal with, but with new raw material to look for to change the course of football in recent years.

With a versatile game system and a formation that can go from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, the idea is that there will be several firsts for Red. And the eleven would form with Rodrigo Rey; Luciano Gomez, Sergio Barreto, Edgar Elizalde, Ayrton Costa; Iván Marcone, Agustín Mulet, Lucas González; Juan Cazares, Rodrigo Márquez and Santiago Giménez.