Boca Juniors Captain Leandro Paredes Returns to Match Squad After Rapid Hamstring Recovery
Leandro Paredes has completed a rapid recovery from a Grade 2 right hamstring tear and traveled with the Boca Juniors squad for the upcoming Copa Sudamericana semifinal second leg against Vasco da Gama. The Boca Juniors captain participated fully in Sunday’s training session without experiencing discomfort, earning a spot on the traveling roster just 11 days after sustaining the injury during a 2-2 draw against Instituto in Córdoba. The midfielder replaced Milton Delgado at the 55-minute mark in the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes before asking to come off, and later sat on the bench with ice on his right leg.
Leandro Paredes played for Boca Juniors just FOUR DAYS after the World Cup final 😳He even assisted the only goal for Boca in their win against O'Higgins 🔥 pic.twitter.com/EDb0x0k7YG
The swift rehabilitation defied standard medical timelines for similar muscle injuries, which typically require approximately three weeks of recovery. The midfielder utilized a specialized treatment involving platelet-rich plasma to accelerate tissue healing. Paredes had also signaled his determination on social media, sharing a photo with the song “Me Levanté” by Ulises Bueno and a football at his feet. Previously, the champion of the world had shared an image on Instagram alongside a ball, the song Valiente, and blue and gold hearts, accompanied by the lyrics Le prendà un par de velitas a los sueños que aún me faltan / Y me puse positivo pa’ que las cosas me salgan / Pongo todo en mi futuro, y el pasado que se vaya / Desde ahora, lo que duele no se pasa de la raya
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Manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena faces a delicate tactical choice ahead of Tuesday night’s fixture at the Maracanã. While journalist MartÃn Costa reported the number five will play regardless of his physical ceiling, the coaching staff must weigh whether to start the World Cup winner or deploy him from the bench. Boca Juniors enters the match chasing a deficit after falling 1-0 in the first leg at La Bombonera.
Traveling Squad Includes Injured Teammates
Boca Juniors released an official squad list that includes not only active players but also several long-term absentees. Manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena and club leadership arranged for injured players undergoing rehabilitation to join the charter flight to Rio de Janeiro to support the group from the stands.
The delegation heading to Brazil features goalkeeper AgustÃn MarchesÃn, midfielder Tomás Belmonte, midfielder Tomás Aranda, and forward Adam Bareiro traveling alongside the active roster without assigned kit numbers due to their ongoing recovery processes. Boca will be missing those four players for the remainder of the 2026 season. The complete squad list features goalkeepers Brey, GarcÃa, and Montero; defenders Figal, Costa, Gorosito, Di Lollo, Pellegrino, Herrera, Blanco, Satas, Braida, and Lozano; midfielders Paredes, Palacios, Battaglia, Rey Domenech, Delgado, Ascacibar, Alarcón, and Ruiz; and forwards Merentiel, Velasco, Giménez, Romero, Valencia, Bacidalupe, Villa, and Flores.
Alongside Paredes, the squad list incorporates forward Alan Velasco, who had also been sidelined following a muscle tear against Unión, and winger Sebastián Villa, who recovered from an ankle sprain sustained during the first leg against Vasco da Gama.
Tactical Importance and Upcoming Fixture Congestion
The return of Paredes provides a vital organizational anchor for a Boca side seeking to overturn the aggregate scoreline away from home. Arruabarrena previously emphasized the midfielder’s role in dictating the team’s tempo, noting that both Paredes and the injured Aranda provide necessary control in possession.
The fixture is scheduled for Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the Estadio Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, with kickoff set for 21:30. Following the continental semifinal, Boca faces a demanding domestic schedule that includes an away match against Independiente on October 25, 2026, a Superclásico against River Plate at La Bombonera on November 1, 2026, and a Copa Argentina semifinal against Banfield in Mendoza on November 14, 2026. In the Torneo Clausura, Boca stands second in Zone A with 24 points and leads the Annual Table with 54 points, matching the total of Argentinos Juniors.
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