- The 'Xeneize' eliminated O’Higgins 4-3 on penalties after the tie finished 1-1 on aggregate and will now face Deportivo Recoleta. The first leg will be played on August 11 at La Bombonera, with the return fixture on August 18 in Asunción.
- Back-to-back champions in 2004 and 2005, Boca are the only club to have won the CONMEBOL Sudamericana in two consecutive seasons. Twenty-one years after their second title, they are aiming to become the first three-time champions in the history of the competition.
Boca Juniors arrived in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana eager for redemption. They began their international campaign in Group D of the CONMEBOL Libertadores and appeared to be on course for qualification after two victories: a 2-1 win over Universidad Católica in Santiago and a 3-0 triumph against Barcelona at La Bombonera. However, they collected just one point from their next four matches and finished third behind Universidad Católica and Cruzeiro, with seven points, six goals scored and five conceded.
The end of the group stage also brought Claudio Úbeda’s tenure to a close. During the break, Boca turned to a familiar face: Rodolfo Arruabarrena began his second spell as head coach and welcomed three reinforcements for the CONMEBOL Sudamericana — Álvaro Montero, Leandro Lozano and Sebastián Villa — alongside the emergence of academy players such as Dylan Gorosito, Milton Delgado, Leonel Flores and Tomás Aranda, the new owner of the No. 10 shirt.
Arruabarrena’s first challenge was O’Higgins. Boca won 1-0 in Buenos Aires through a Miguel Merentiel goal, set up by a superb pass from Leandro Paredes, but they were unable to protect their advantage in Rancagua. Francisco González levelled the tie with a volley and forced a penalty shootout. Montero then stepped up in his first shootout as a 'Xeneize' goalkeeper, saving Luis Pavez’s effort before Lautaro Blanco converted the decisive penalty to seal a 4-3 victory.
Next up will be Deportivo Recoleta, one of the surprise packages of the tournament. The Paraguayan side, making their first-ever appearance in international competition, topped a group that also included Santos, San Lorenzo and Deportivo Cuenca. Boca will open the tie at La Bombonera before seeking to finish the job on Paraguayan soil.
Boca Juniors in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Results and Schedule
CONMEBOL Libertadores Group Stage — Group D
Matchday 1: Universidad Católica 1-2 Boca Juniors (Juan Díaz / Leandro Paredes and Adam Bareiro, assist by Lautaro Blanco)
Matchday 2: Boca Juniors 3-0 Barcelona (Lautaro Di Lollo and Santiago Ascacíbar, both assisted by Lautaro Blanco, and Ander Herrera, assist by Alan Velasco)
Matchday 3: Cruzeiro 1-0 Boca Juniors (Néiser Villarreal, assist by Kaio Jorge)
Matchday 4: Barcelona 1-0 Boca Juniors (Héctor Villalba, assist by Jhonny Quiñónez)
Matchday 5: Boca Juniors 1-1 Cruzeiro (Miguel Merentiel, assist by Leandro Paredes / Fágner, assist by Kaiki)
Matchday 6: Boca Juniors 0-1 Universidad Católica (Clemente Montes, assist by Eugenio Mena)
CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16 Playoffs
First Leg: Boca Juniors 1-0 O’Higgins (Miguel Merentiel 44' PT, assist by Leandro Paredes)
Second Leg: O’Higgins 1-0 Boca Juniors (Francisco González 27' ST). Boca won the penalty shootout 4-3.
CONMEBOL Sudamericana Round of 16
First Leg: Boca Juniors vs. Deportivo Recoleta — Tuesday, August 11, 7:00 p.m., Estadio Alberto J. Armando ‘La Bombonera’, Buenos Aires.
Second Leg: Deportivo Recoleta vs. Boca Juniors — Tuesday, August 18, 7:00 p.m., Estadio ueno Defensores del Chaco, Asunción.
Boca Juniors Head Coach in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Rodolfo Arruabarrena
Boca’s international campaign began under Claudio Úbeda, but the team changed direction after being eliminated in the CONMEBOL Libertadores group stage. Rodolfo Arruabarrena returned to the club in June, during the World Cup break, a decade after his first spell in charge.
In his previous tenure, between August 2014 and March 2016, he managed 73 matches and won two titles: the 2015 Argentine Primera División championship and the Copa Argentina that same season. His connection with Boca runs even deeper: he came through the club’s youth academy and, as a left-back, was part of the team that won the 2000 CONMEBOL Libertadores.
After coaching in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia — as well as taking charge of the UAE national team — ‘Vasco’ returned with the mission of rebuilding the 'Xeneize'. His first matches have already shown the foundations of this new chapter: Paredes as the team’s driving force, greater opportunities for academy-developed players and significant changes in goal and at full-back.
“He has changed the way we look compared to where we were before, at least for me personally. He arrived already knowing what this club is all about, he knows it well, and he carries himself with the authority a coach needs to have. That is very important for us,” midfielder Santiago Ascacibar said in praise of him.
Qualification against O’Higgins was far from straightforward, but it allowed Arruabarrena to overcome his first knockout tie since returning. Boca worked through their own difficulties and showed character to advance despite defeat on Chilean soil. With their performances improving, they also made a strong impression in their domestic league victory over Estudiantes and are beginning to build a case for dreaming of 'La Gran Conquista'.
Full Boca Juniors Squad for the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Goalkeepers: 1. Alvaro Montero - 12. Leandro Brey - 13. Javier Garcia - 47. Fernando Rodriguez.
Defenders: 2. Lautaro Di Lollo - 3. Lautaro Blanco - 4. Jorge Figal - 17. Leandro Lozano - 24. Dylan Gorosito - 26. Marco Pellegrino - 27. Malcom Braida - 32. Ayrton Costa - 40. Santiago Zampieri - 46. Matias Satas - 51. Gian Gadiel Paoli - 48. Baltazar Blum.
Midfielders: 5. Leandro Paredes - 6. Rodrigo Battaglia - 7. Carlos Palacios - 8. Tomas Belmonte - 15. Williams Alarcón - 18. Milton Delgado - 23. Camilo Rey - 25. Santiago Ascacibar - 31. Gonzalo Marquez - 34. Juan Payal - 35. Franco Perez - 39. Matias Calegari.
Forwards: 9. Milton Gimenez - 10. Tomas Aranda - 11. Ángel Romero - 16. Miguel Merentiel - 19. Leonel Flores - 20. Alan Velasco - 21. Kevin Zenón - 22. Sebastian Villa - 28. Adam Bareiro - 33. Lautaro Mendieta - 37. Gonzalo Gelini - 42. Facundo Herrera - 44. Rodrigo Bacidalupe - 45. Silvio Ventos - 49. Joaquin Piñeyro - 50. Dante Gonzalez - 52. Juan Pussetto - 53. Joaquin Ruiz - 54. Kevin Ferreira.
Boca Juniors’ Standout Player in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Leandro Paredes
Boca have found much more than a holding midfielder in Leandro Paredes. He is the captain, the player who organizes the build-up and the man the team looks to when it needs to change the tempo of possession or break lines with a pass. Boca’s No. 5 is their leader, their emblem and their captain.
His continental campaign began with a goal from outside the box against Universidad Católica. He later assisted Merentiel against Cruzeiro and once again set up the Uruguayan in the first meeting with O’Higgins, producing an outside-of-the-boot pass with his right foot that split the Chilean defense. In doing so, he was directly involved in three of Boca’s seven goals across the CONMEBOL Libertadores and CONMEBOL Sudamericana. But his influence goes far beyond the numbers: so much of Boca’s play begins with Paredes’ quality.
His presence in the first leg of the Playoffs also carried particular significance. He rejoined the squad immediately after playing the 2026 World Cup final with Argentina and, just four days later, started at La Bombonera. In the shootout in Rancagua, he stepped up to take Boca’s first penalty and converted, setting the tone for a shootout the 'Xeneize' ultimately won.
Boca Juniors’ Top Scorer in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Miguel Merentiel
Miguel Merentiel is Boca’s leading scorer in international competition this season, with two goals. He found the net against Cruzeiro in the CONMEBOL Libertadores group stage and scored the only Boca goal of the tie against O’Higgins, controlling Paredes’ pass before finishing one-on-one shortly before halftime at La Bombonera. With five goals in domestic competition, he is also the 'Xeneize’s' top scorer this year.
A key figure in Boca’s attack, Merentiel is the player with the most experience in the blue and gold shirt within a revamped forward line featuring Tomás Aranda and Leonel Flores. In 'Vasco' Arruabarrena’s system, he operates as the No. 9, a role he had not regularly occupied while playing as a second striker.
Boca Juniors’ X-Factor in the 2026 CONMEBOL Sudamericana: Tomás Aranda
Boca’s No. 10 shirt was handed to Tomás Aranda, and the 19-year-old academy product has quickly begun to justify a decision loaded with symbolism. Left-footed, fearless and comfortable receiving between the lines, he has become one of the main sources of attacking unpredictability in Arruabarrena’s side.
His most convincing performance in the tie against O’Higgins came in the second leg. Aranda was involved in seven of Boca’s 15 shots: he attempted five himself — two of them on target — and created another two through his passing. Omar Carabalí denied him the equalizer twice in the closing minutes before also saving his effort in the penalty shootout.
Aranda was the attacker who provided the most solutions when Boca needed to respond. His ability to turn, carry the ball and attack through central areas will be crucial to the future of the La Ribera side, while his emerging partnership with fellow academy prospect Leonel Flores — another player who has made a major impact this semester — is one of the 'Xeneize’s' most promising attacking assets.
Boca Juniors’ History in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana
Boca are competing in their 12th edition of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana in 2026. The defining chapters of their history in the tournament were written in 2004 and 2005, when they became the first champions to successfully defend the title and remain, to this day, the only club to have lifted the trophy in consecutive seasons.
In 2004, Boca lost the first leg of the final 1-0 to Bolívar in La Paz, but overturned the tie with a 2-0 victory at La Bombonera. A year later, they drew both legs of the final against Pumas UNAM before prevailing 4-3 in the penalty shootout in Buenos Aires.
Boca came close to the title again in 2014, with Arruabarrena in charge, when they reached the semifinals before being eliminated by River Plate. Their most recent appearance prior to 2026 came in 2024: they overcame Independiente del Valle in the Playoffs before being knocked out by Cruzeiro, also following a penalty shootout.
The 2026 campaign presents another opportunity. With Arruabarrena back on the bench, Paredes pulling the strings, Merentiel as the main goalscoring reference and a new generation of academy players beginning to take on greater responsibility, Boca are aiming to reach Barranquilla and achieve something no club has managed before: win a third CONMEBOL Sudamericana title.
