Boca Juniors is facing a storm at the worst possible time. The team coached by Miguel Ángel Russo, which dreams of returning to the Copa Libertadores after a two-year absence, has just suffered a major blow: Leandro Paredes will miss a decisive stretch of the 2025 Clausura Tournament after being called up by Lionel Scaloni for Argentina’s upcoming friendlies in the United States.
Behind the scenes, there’s already talk that Boca will try to negotiate for Paredes to be released so he can play these crucial matches with his club.

A Painful Defeat and a Tight Table

The Xeneize side comes into this moment wounded: they lost 2-1 away to Defensa y Justicia, missing the chance to take the lead in Group B and slipping in the overall table, which determines continental qualification.
They currently sit sixth in their group, three points behind Unión de Santa Fe.

In the general standings, they occupy fourth place—outside the direct Libertadores qualification spots—behind Argentinos Juniors on goal difference, with Rosario Central and River Plate ahead of them.

The situation couldn’t be more tense: Boca cannot afford another year without the Libertadores, their historic obsession.

Scaloni Takes Him to Miami and Chicago

The Argentina national team has scheduled two preparation matches for the 2026 World Cup in the United States:

• Friday, October 10 vs Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
• Monday, October 13 vs Puerto Rico at Soldier Field in Chicago.

This means Paredes will not be available for Boca on Saturday, October 11, when they face Barracas Central in a key match to stay in the race.

Russo Forced to Improvise

For Russo, losing Paredes means more than losing a midfielder: it’s losing leadership, quality, and set-piece precision.
The alternatives are far from ideal. Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera, who has just returned from injury, and Chilean Williams Alarcón are the main options if they are fully fit.

Rodrigo Battaglia will likely keep his place in the lineup but will lose his natural partner in midfield.

Adding to the headache, Milton Delgado is unavailable as he’s competing in the U-20 World Cup in Chile.

A Grueling Final Stretch

The calendar is relentless:

• Sunday, October 5: Boca vs Newell’s.
• Saturday, October 11: Barracas vs Boca (without Paredes).
• Sunday, October 19: Boca vs Belgrano (the expected return of the World Cup champion).

After that, they’ll face a tough road trip to Estudiantes, the Superclásico at La Bombonera, and finish the season away to Tigre in Victoria.

All of this will unfold in just six weeks, with everything on the line.

Boca Against the Ropes

Between painful defeats, mounting table pressure, and the absence of their star player, Boca is living through a crisis that could define their immediate future. If the Xeneize cannot recover quickly and survive without Paredes, the nightmare of missing out on the Libertadores for a third consecutive year could become reality.
Time is ticking, and at La Bombonera, every game already feels like a final.