Four days after becoming champion, Boca has an important fight for the Libertadores that could mark its future.

Boca celebrated its League Cup title. He did it as a big shock, for the embroidery of another star and also for the way he achieved it: without scoring goals in three hand-to-hand games, being more of a star and without skepticism of meaning against the Tiger. But Battaglia and company left Córdoba with confidence in the rise and with the certainty that against Deportivo Cali, in Bombonera, there will be another final.

The chip change was noticed after the celebration, when DT scheduled an evening training session so that hours would not pass. Physical recovery will be decisive over time, but from a mental standpoint, everyone is already focused on the decisive crossover for the Copa Libertadores. Boca knows it only serves to win to access the round of 16 and thus ends a brilliant semester, which includes winning the classic, the domestic tournament, advancing to the Argentine Cup. Only international commitment is left to fill the form, even with the lowest participation in the South American Cup is guaranteed (from the round of 16 also) if he does not achieve 3 points against the Colombian team.

In football, if they are all well from the physical plane, it is in DT’s mind to put up the same eleven who played a great game against the Corinthians, even with the option to give the title to Marcos Rojo, who has already left the suspension. of Conmebol and could return to form a central defense with Izquierdoz, as happened in Córdoba against the Tigers. If Battaglia decides, the former Manchester United will come in for Carlos Zambrano, despite the Peruvian’s good performance.

The rest of the team, with penalties against Villa still in force to play Conmebol tournaments, seemed resolved. Even after a poor performance against Tigre, the coach was inclined to honor Eduardo Salvio’s place in the eleventh against Juan Ramírez, who replaced him in the second half of the final. Boca needed goals to win and Toto had, although he was wrong in the game against Corinthians and didn’t complete a good match against Victoria’s side.

So, with Exequiel Zeballos on one side, Salvio on the other and Óscar Romero as an inside midfielder along with Alan Varela and Pol Fernández, Battaglia’s idea was to siege Deportivo Cali from the start and give Boca the leading role. in the game. Always leaving open the opportunity to have a double 9 to Vázquez and Benedetto if the fight (and the emergencies) warranted it. The coach has many alternatives.

All the voices of the heroes in Córdoba are in the same direction. “Enjoy, relax and be psyched up for Thursday’s game”; they repeated from Battaglia, by Darío Benedetto and each of the captains. The squad knew they were 90 minutes away to reach their goals, and although it was a dangerous game where an error could cost too much, it was also enough for them to win at the very least. And for that there will be 90 minutes.

That’s why coaching staff want to slow down and understand that the battle process should keep them focused, psyched up but not desperate. And to keep zero on his own goal, something that gives him results and that leads him to dedication to the League Cup. If he succeeds, he will be closer to defeating Teo Gutiérrez and the company (there was also talk of not falling into provocations) to reach head-up instances with the Libertadores. The other goal remains a positive semester.

Qualifying for the 2023 Cup and waiting for the finals

Boca’s title against Tigre also allowed Sebastián Battaglia’s team to secure a spot in the 2023 Copa Libertadores, one of the annual goals always raised behind the club’s doors. So, now the Argentine Cup and the League will remain as searches for the Olympic lap but there is no pressure of finding a place in the highest tournament on the continental.

Meanwhile, from the club they are still waiting for a resolution from the AFA (now Claudio Tapia has included the power grouping and also decisions from the League) to play the finals owed since 2020 to the club for in being the winners of those two competitions. years (Superliga and Copa Maradona) in addition to waiting on the date that River will face for the Argentine Super Cup, which Boca has agreed to keep the 2021 Argentine Cup.

Meanwhile, by winning the League Cup, at the end of the year (roughly before the World Cup) the club will battle it out for the Champions Trophy against the winner of the League which starts on the weekend of June 5 (the idea is that Boca will start a week later, like Tiger, to finish competing later). And in case Boca wins, the final will be against the runner-up of the long tournament.

The match against Ferro, for round of 16 of the Argentine Cup, set for the first days of June, has also been postponed as the organization will first seek to close out round 32 and the clash between Tigre and Los Andes continues. rin. missing. to close that opportunity.