Boca Juniors winger Gonzalo Gelini is set to join Uruguayan powerhouse Peñarol on loan, following a whirlwind senior debut that saw the teenage prospect valued at $10 million by club officials, according to multiple sports reports.
A Roster Crunch and Medical Outlook at Casa Amarilla
Gelini’s departure comes as Boca navigates a tumultuous start to the 2026 campaign marked by a staggering physical crisis. According to club medical director Dr. Jorge Batista in an interview with TyC Sports, the squad has faced nine distinct physical setbacks across the opening weeks of the year.
The casualty list has tested the depth of the squad. Forward Milton Giménez has battled a persistent pubalgia since the closing matches of the 2025 season, an issue that forced him to miss the standard preseason regimen and left his availability under medical evaluation. Similarly, veteran striker Edinson Cavani entered the year dealing with a lumbalgia issue carrying over from the end of the previous campaign, while Chilean playmaker Carlos Palacios was slowed by a nagging right knee synovitis.
Midfielder Rodrigo Battaglia underwent surgery on Monday performed by Dr. Batista to repair an intersectional tendinitis in his Achilles tendon, an injury the player described on social media as causing severe pain that will sideline him until the second half of the year. Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera suffered a Grade 1 tear in the right rectus femoris during a Thursday practice session, marking his fifth physical setback since arriving in Buenos Aires last summer.
External Factors and Unusual Setbacks
Dr. Batista emphasized that the heavy injury toll is not indicative of poor physical preparation by the coaching staff. Instead, he pointed to a demanding schedule combining heavy preseason training, intense friendly fixtures, and a high volume of matches, alongside external or accidental incidents.
Among those situational cases, winger Exequiel Zeballos sustained a Grade II-III tear in his left biceps femoris—the first muscular injury of his career—while Lucas Janson suffered a rare Grade 1 tear in his left internal oblique muscle just as attacking opportunities opened up. Forward Miguel Merentiel, who logged the most minutes of any outfield player in 2025, tore a left soleus muscle during a friendly against Olimpia but has since completed his recovery milestones.
Looking Ahead to the Next Fixture
With roster adjustments ongoing and younger talents like Gelini finding valuable minutes abroad, Boca Juniors turns its immediate focus back to domestic competition.
Keep reading
