Boca visit Instituto on Friday, October 9, seeking to protect their position in Argentina’s annual standings. The match in Córdoba kicks off at 7:30 p.m., with Copa Sudamericana and Copa Argentina semi-finals also ahead.
After 11 rounds, Boca are second in the annual table on 50 points, two behind leaders Independiente Rivadavia. Argentinos Juniors are level with Boca. The annual-table winner will receive a separate league champion title for the first time, while the top three qualify directly for the 2027 Copa Libertadores.
The Instituto match begins a five-game run-in for Boca in the annual race. They then face Talleres, Independiente, River and Defensa y Justicia. Under the Liga Profesional schedule, Boca meet River at La Bombonera on November 1. If the title remains in reach, that fixture could prove decisive.
Boca are also alive in two cup competitions. Their Copa Sudamericana semi-final against Vasco da Gama begins in Buenos Aires next week, with the return leg in Brazil. In the Copa Argentina semi-finals, Boca are due to play Banfield in mid-November.
Coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena is considering rotation because of the crowded schedule. Goalkeeper Álvaro Montero is expected to return after Colombia duty. Alan Velasco will miss the match with an injury, while Miguel Merentiel could start on the bench, La Nación reported. Rodrigo Battaglia is also returning to the squad after a long recovery.
Boca take a 16-match unbeaten run into the game. Avoiding defeat in Córdoba would give them one of the club’s four best unbeaten streaks of the 21st century. The club have not won a domestic tournament since March 2023, when they claimed the Supercopa Argentina.