Boca Juniors will host DeportivoRiestra this afternoon at La Bombonera, at 6:30 p.m., for the first date of the Apertura Tournament, although the main objective, which renews the enthusiasm of its fans, is the Copa Libertadores, in which it will participate again after that frustration in the final of the 2023 edition.
Despite the negotiations of the club president, Juan Román Riquelme, and his managers to add forwards, such as the cases of the ColombianMarinoHinestroza and Alexis Cuello, from San Lorenzo, did not prosper: the coffee striker ended up at Vasco da Gama inBrazil, while the former Almagro will continue in the Ciclón. The need to reinforce the attack is a priority for Boca, since Miguel Merentiel suffered a tear, Edinson Cavani suffers from a lumbar ailment that affected him during 2025 and prevented him from training normally at the beginning of 2026 and Milton Giménez suffers from pubalgia that could lead to a surgical intervention.
Faced with this panorama, Úbeda has two wingers, Changuito ExequielZeballos and Brian Aguirre, while the center forward position would be occupied by LucasJanson, a footballer who had been considered expendable at the start of the new season.and that now he will possibly be from the beginning in the Boquense debut in the Apertura.The situation becomes more complex, taking into account that Boca will play three games in less than 10 days due to the tight schedule of the contest.
With the transfer book about to close (there are deadlines to incorporate until January 27), some names that were heard around the Ribera in the last hours were that of forward Ezequiel ChimyÁngelRomero[https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2026/01/21/rolando-schiavi-arremetio-contra-riquelme-por-el-mercado-de-pases-la-contundente-frase-que-hizo-ruido-en-boca/], who was free after his time at Corinthians in Brazil.The former San Lorenzo has everything advanced to join the team led by Úbeda.
“Hopefully we can have him with us on Monday. The club’s lawyers are already there exchanging papers with Ángel’s. If things go normally we can have him with us, in the end when the papers are not signed we don’t know,” said president Juan Román Riquelme on Fridaynight[https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2026/01/24/10-frases-de-riquelme-en-la-previa-del-debut-de-boca-en-el-torneo-del-refuerzo-que-esta-cerca-al-mensaje-para-los-jugadores/].
The other name that sounds strongly is that of the Russian Ascacíbar, who was the starter of Independiente[https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2026/01/23/en-avellaneda-independiente-arrancara-el-torneo-apertura-contra-el-campeon-estudiantes-de-la-plata-hora-tv-y-formaciones/]in the debut of Estudiantes, but could emigrate: “The clubneeds to sell.It seems the most normal thing in the world for Boca and River to look for our players,” acknowledged coach Eduardo Domínguez.
In any case, the Xeneize president was cautious in relation to the transfer market: “I always think that the squad is enough for us to fight for the CopaLibertadores. It’s not like before, now you have a whole year to compete for it. You can strengthen yourself in the middle of the year, like the Brazilian teams do. I always trust that we can go to the end.”
The other key data in this Xeneize transfer market is the number of players who returned from their loans at different clubs.Although the majority of them were not taken into account and were loaned out again, Marcelo Weigandt appears on the radar, recently joining Inter Miami.The departure of Peruvian Luis Advíncula – he went to Alianza Lima – allowed Chelo to enter the coach’s consideration as a possible variant of Juan Barinaga, starting right back.Other footballers, who are not taken into account, continue training at Boca Predio waiting to find a destination.Among them are Juan Ramírez, Nicolás Orsini and Gonzalo Toro Morales.
As for the casualties, in addition to Advíncula, the Colombian FrankFabra, Ignacio Miramón (returned to Gimnasia), Cristian Lema, Esteban Rolón (Aldosivi), Gabriel Pola Aranda (Racing de Córdoba), Norberto Briasco (BarracasCentral), Gabriel Vera (Nueva Chicago), Ignacio Rodríguez (Atlanta), ValentinoSimoni (debuted with a goal in Gimnasia deMendoza(Newell’s), Mateo Mendía and Santiago Dalmasso (both to Platense [https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2026/01/21/los-13-refuerzos-que-firmo-platense-para-su-esperado-estreno-en-la-copa-libertadores/]). It is not ruled out that more names will be added.
Boca also announced the salary improvement, contract extension and/or shielding of several of its squad figures.The experienced Javier García and AnderHerrera signed a contract until December 2026. Leandro Brey, Lautaro Di Lollo and Milton Delgado were recognized with an economic increase and continuity until the end of 2029. The same happened with Lautaro Blanco, the starting left back whose pass was bought by Xeneize, which will remain until the same date.This renewal plan [https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2026/01/06/tras-renovarle-a-seis-futbolistas-boca-juniors-anunciara-esperada-la-continuidad-de-una-de-las-figuras/] would conclude with the announcement of the continuity of Changuito Zeballos, the next objective.
After the preseason, which included friendly matches against Millonarios deColombia (0-0 draw) in La Bombonera and Olimpia de Paraguay in San Nicolás (2-1 win), Boca will close January with its debut in the Apertura at home against Riestra (25/1) and will visit Estudiantes de La Plata (28/1) for the second date in Zone A.
In February he will continue with his agenda at the local level with important matches, such as the home clash against Newell’s (1/2), the visit to the JoséAmalfitani stadium against Vélez (8/2), the interzonal duel at home against Racing (20/2) and the debut in the Argentine Cup against Gimnasia de Chivilcoy (24/2).The classic against San Lorenzo will be played on March 11, in La Bombonera, while another of the key dates for Xeneize will be the Superclásico against River Plate, scheduled for April 19 at the Monumental, a week after the match against Independiente in La Boca.
Boca’s main objective will be the Copa Libertadores, whose group stage will begin between April 7 and 9.The dream of the club and its fans will be to be able to lift the most precious trophy in South America for the seventh time and thus reach the Independiente record.In their last attempt, Xeneize was left behind after losing the final against Fluminense, at the Maracaná, in 2023.
