Boca Juniors have confirmed that midfielder Alan Velasco suffered a left adductor muscle tear during their 3-0 victory against Unión de Santa Fe at La Bombonera, sidelining the 24-year-old for an estimated three weeks. The injury creates a critical selection dilemma for manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena ahead of their upcoming Copa Sudamericana semifinal tie against Vasco da Gama and league fixtures in the Torneo Clausura. According to reports from tn.com.ar, Velasco’s absence forces the coaching staff to reshuffle a squad already hit by long-term injuries.
The 24-year-old offensive midfielder, for whom the club paid about ten million dollars, has accumulated 57 official matches, seven goals, four assists, seven yellow cards, zero red cards, and zero titles with Boca Juniors. His first year and a half at the club was marked by injuries and that missed penalty against Alianza Lima in the second stage of the 2025 Copa Libertadores, though he turned his form around this semester with 17 appearances, 10 starts, and four goals.
The Injury Timeline and Matches Missed
Velasco felt a sharp pain and asked to be substituted during the second half of the match against Unión. Arruabarrena acknowledged the setback in his post-match press conference, stating as reported by mdzol.com: Es otro mes cargado de partidos importantes, con otra carga de presión.
Con Alan no he hablado mucho pero creo que ha tenido un pequeño desgarro.
Esperemos poder recuperarlo y tener opciones.
Arruabarrena also explained: Hay un gran trabajo de Mariano Herrón en Boca Predio y trataremos de suplir esas bajas momentáneas con algunos chicos.
The timing deals a heavy blow to Boca’s campaign across multiple competitions. Velasco is ruled out for the Torneo Clausura fixture against Instituto in Córdoba on Friday, October 9, and the home match against Talleres de Córdoba. Velasco has already begun rehabilitation, though his return depends on his evolution; it is certain he will miss the matches against Instituto and Talleres, the semifinal first leg, and the return leg in Brazil on October 20 (19 days after his injury), while these four matches could be followed by Independiente on October 25 and perhaps River Plate on November 1.
Arruabarrena Considers Midfield Options After Velasco Injury
The loss of Velasco compounds existing roster strain following the long-term fibula fracture suffered by Tomás Aranda, who is sidelined until next year. Arruabarrena must now decide how to restructure his midfield and attacking lines.
Palacios offers a profile centered on short passing, agility, and linking up play in the final third. The midfielder has earned praise for positive substitute appearances, including a decisive assist against Racing Club in the Copa Argentina and lively link-up play with Leandro Paredes and Vicente Delgado against Unión. Alternatively, Sebastián Villa provides vertical speed and individual dribbling on the flanks. Other attacking alternatives mentioned by sources include Paraguayan Ángel Romero, who has provided positive contributions in substitute appearances, and Ecuadorian Enner Valencia.
Arruabarrena Promotes Youth Players to Bolster Squad Depth
To insulate the squad against further fitness issues during a demanding October schedule, Arruabarrena has turned to the club’s youth academy at Boca Predio. Ruiz previously made three senior appearances under former manager Fernando Gago and recently scored against Independiente in the Torneo Proyección.
The club also continues to manage the recovery of midfielder Tomás Belmonte, who underwent arthroscopic meniscal surgery. Arruabarrena estimated during his press briefing that Belmonte could return to full training in approximately a month. With fixtures mounting in both domestic and international competition, Boca's technical staff will rely heavily on squad rotation and academy talent to get through the decisive weeks ahead.
Upcoming Fixtures
Boca Juniors face a demanding stretch of matches across competitions:
- Friday, October 9 at 19:30 (Arg): vs. Instituto (Torneo Clausura, Round 12) — Away
- Tuesday, October 13 at 21:30 (Arg): vs. Vasco da Gama (Copa Sudamericana, Semifinal – First Leg) — Home
- Sunday, October 18 (Time TBD): vs. Talleres (Torneo Clausura, Round 13) — Home
- Tuesday, October 20 at 21:30 (Arg): vs. Vasco da Gama (Copa Sudamericana, Semifinal – Return Leg) — Away
- Sunday, October 25 (Time TBD): vs. Independiente (Torneo Clausura, Round 14) — Away
- Sunday, November 1 (Time TBD): vs. River Plate (Torneo Clausura, Superclásico – Round 15) — Home
- Sunday, November 8 (Time TBD): vs. Defensa y Justicia (Torneo Clausura, Round 16) — Home
- Saturday, November 14 (Time TBD): vs. Banfield (Copa Argentina, Semifinal) — Neutral venue
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