From the day of the draw for the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana Boca knew that it would have to travel 17,000 kilometers to face its rivals. But beyond the remote city of Fortaleza, in northern Brazil, and the proximity to the headquarters of Sport Trinidense, in Paraguay, The most complex journey of the three is undoubtedly the one he faces before the debut this Wednesday at 9 p.m.
It happens that, to visit Nacional Potosí, the Xeneize team travels this Tuesday by plane to Sucre, and once there It will unfold to travel 158 kilometers in a dozen 4×4 trucks along a complex and dangerous route, which demands more than three hours of travel.
That route is so difficult that on Sunday night there was a tragic accident there. The accident involved a bus and a truck and left a total of four dead and more than 30 injured.
According to the information released by Correo del Sur, the Transtin Dil Rey bus left at 6 p.m. on Sunday bound for the Bolivian capital and at 8:30 p.m., near Yotala, it was surprised by another car that invaded its lane. The two collided near a curve and at high speed, which resulted in the large vehicle falling down a ravine. Security forces and the Fire Department went to the scene to help the victims of the crash.
The concrete thing is that for arrive at the Víctor Agustín Ugarte Stadium (or Nest of the Condors, as the stage located at 3,900 meters above sea level is called) and Playing for the first time in its history in a setting located at such an altitude, the road will be complicated. In fact, it is no coincidence that the blue and gold club has opted for 4×4 trucks instead of a micro, a much more unstable vehicle for this type of route.
What will Boca’s journey be like?
The Xeneize team plans to take a plane to Sucre, which left Buenos Aires this Tuesday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. Once landed in the Bolivian capital, 2,400 meters above sea level, they will spend that day and night in different hotels (there are none with sufficient capacity to accommodate the entire delegation) and will seek to adapt as quickly as possible to the effects that altitude causes on people accustomed to living on the plain.
On Wednesday morning, players, coaching staff and leaders of Xeneize They will have breakfast in Sucre and then begin the journey to Potosí in at least 12 4×4 trucks. The almost 60 members of the blue and gold delegation will be distributed there. The plan will be to have lunch in Potosí and It was decided that the team would take a nap before embarking on the final trip to the stadium.
Likewise, the logistics defined by Boca resolved that Once the meeting is over, around 11:30 p.m., the entire delegation immediately returns to Sucre in those same 4x4s and along the same road used on the first leg, with curves, ravines and danger, but at night.
However, this can be modified. As a result of Sunday’s tragic accident, The Sucre authorities asked and recommended to Conmebol and the Xeneize club that the Argentine delegation sleep in Potosí after the game and avoid traveling along that dangerous route at night.
In any case, THE NATION was able to know that Boca does not plan to alter its initial plan, even though everyone is aware of the risk.
Why wouldn’t Boca accept this suggestion? For two reasons. The first is that In Potosí there are no hotels with sufficient capacity to accommodate such a large delegation (60 people). On the other hand, delaying the return complicates the subsequent agenda, since On Friday the team will have to get on another plane to travel to Rosario and face Newell’s a day later, in a decisive match in search of qualification to the quarterfinals of the League Cup.
So, After the match, the team will sleep in Sucre and will only take the flight back to Buenos Aires on Thursday morning to face the next match, which will be on Saturday in Rosario against Newell’s, on date 13 of Zone B.
During the group stage of the Copa Sudamericana, Xeneize’s other two trips will be to Brazil, to visit Fortaleza on April 25and Paraguay, where on May 8 they will play Trinidense in Asunción.
Meanwhile, regarding the local tournament, Boca will receive Godoy Cruz on the 14th on Sunday, April 14, and on a date that has not yet been defined will complete the 63 pending minutes of the match with Estudiantes in La Platasuspended due to the decompensation of Pincha footballer Javier Altamirano.
The probable team
Edinson Cavani, who left at halftime of the classic with San Lorenzo due to a slight discomfort, will be the big absentee in the cup debut. The other one who did not get on the plane to Bolivia was Marcos Rojorecovered from a severe tear he suffered at the end of January, but replaced by Valentini against Ciclón due to a small discomfort.
Another who stays in Buenos Aires is the Colombian Frank Fabrasince Conmebol ratified the two suspension dates for his expulsion in the 2023 Copa Libertadores final against Fluminense, which he must comply with in the Sudamericana.
In summary, the likely Boca formation on their South American Cup debut against Nacional Potosí would be as follows: Javier Garcia; Lautaro Di Lollo, Aaron Anselmino, Nicholas Valentini, Marcelo Saracchi; Maurico Benitez, Jorman Campuzano or Jabes Saralegui, Juan Ramirez, Vincent Taborda; Darius Benedetto and Norbert Briasco.