Buenos Aires, Jan 25 (NA) -- Following the solid 1-0 victory over Deportivo Riestra at La Bombonera in the debut of the 2025 Apertura Tournament, Boca Juniors' head coach, Claudio Úbeda, conducted a deep analysis of the team's performance, highlighted the value of the three points obtained, and addressed various aspects related to the match's development. First, the coach of the 'Xeneize' team emphasized the need to start the championship with a win, regardless of the difficulties the match presented. 'We value the result and we had to win,' expressed Úbeda, underlining the importance of the initial victory both from a footballing and an emotional perspective for a team that is embarking on a new competitive process, according to the Argentine News Agency. Analyzing the game's development, the head coach explained that Boca had already identified the tactical approach its rival was going to use. In this sense, he highlighted the team's patience to find spaces and adapt to a closed defensive scheme that complicated the home team's attacking flow for much of the encounter. 'We were clear on how Riestra wanted to play the match... it was very difficult to penetrate through the central zone and we had to attack down the flanks to create opportunities,' he pointed out. While the management works to resolve pending negotiations before the transfer window closes, the technical staff focuses on consolidating the team's functioning and preparing for the next championship match, with the premise of maintaining a balance between immediate results and long-term construction. Regarding the physical condition of the squad, Úbeda provided details on two important players. 'Edinson Cavani and Milton Delgado are in recovery stages and I hope they can return as soon as possible,' he commented, while adding a phrase that reflects his intention to maintain a high competitive level: 'I also need the kids to put me in doubt to see who I start.' Finally, the coach clarified the situation of Lucas Janson, highlighting his professionalism and explaining the reason for his substitution. 'He is a 100% professional player, the change for Iker Zufiaurre was because he showed some discomfort,' he said. Úbeda also referred to the performance of the younger players, especially the entry of Iker Zufiaurre, who got minutes in a demanding context. 'Zufiaurre came in well, I think it's normal for the kids to be nervous in a match like this, but the truth is he didn't look nervous and played very well,' stated the coach, making it clear his confidence in the development process and the response of the youngsters when it's their turn to compete in the First Division. In that sense, the coach emphasized that daily performance and response on the field will be decisive in defining the starting lineups, beyond the name or previous career of each footballer. This stance reinforces a central idea of the sports project: no one has a guaranteed spot, and internal competition appears as a key tool to sustain the intensity and collective level throughout the tournament. The coach also addressed the situation of Santiago Ascacibar, Estudiantes de La Plata's midfielder, whose name is among the options the management is analyzing to reinforce the midfield in this transfer market. 'He is a player of great stature... he knows that if he has to wear the Boca jersey, he can do it very well, but he doesn't have his place secured yet,' Úbeda stressed, adding that the player must fight against his teammates to win a starting spot. 'I need the kids to put me in doubt to see who I put as a starter,' he expressed. On the other hand, he explained the substitution of Cavani for Delgado. 'It is a 100% professional player, the change for Iker Zufiaurre was because he showed some discomfort,' he said. However, he made it clear that his immediate priority is for the players to rest well before the next matchday. 'At this moment I want my players to be well rested for the next matchday,' he concluded.
