Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's most iconic football clubs, took a giant step toward continental glory by thrashing Paraguay's Deportivo Recoleta 4-0 on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco in Asunción. The victory completed a 7-1 aggregate triumph in the Round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana—South America's second-tier club tournament, akin to the UEFA Europa League.
The match was effectively decided in the first half. Santiago Ascacibar opened the scoring with a powerful header in the 30th minute, rising above the defense to meet a pinpoint cross from Lautaro Blanco. Just before halftime, Sebastián Villa doubled the lead with his first goal since returning to the club, celebrating with an emotional apology to the 20,000 traveling fans for past disagreements. In the second half, Miguel Merentiel produced a moment of magic, and Alan Velasco capped the rout with a sublime individual effort.
The Rival Coach's Candid Moment
The most talked-about moment of the night came from the opposing bench. With the game already out of reach, during a late hydration break, Deportivo Recoleta manager Jorge González was caught on camera asking his players: “Who is hurt? Because I still have three substitutions left, but I don't want to waste them. We have a match on Saturday.” The footage quickly went viral, showing a coach already thinking about his team's upcoming domestic league fixture against Sportivo Ameliano rather than the current one.
Paredes Ruled Out for the Clásico
In the post-match press conference, Boca's manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena confirmed bad news for fans: “Leandro will not be available for Racing, just like Lozano and Marco (Pellegrino).” Captain Leandro Paredes has been dealing with inflammation in his left hamstring since a match against Platense and did not travel to Paraguay. His absence is a major blow ahead of the highly anticipated clásico against Racing Club on Sunday at 21:30 local time, as part of the sixth round of the Torneo Clausura—Argentina's domestic league.
Arruabarrena's Analysis and Next Steps
The Vasco praised his squad's performance: “I congratulate the players for the match they played. From the first minute we felt comfortable on the pitch.” He also highlighted Merentiel's scoring form—this was his second consecutive goal—and the debut of Enner Valencia, who came on in the second half and showed promise despite lacking match fitness.
With this victory, Boca Juniors secured a spot in the quarterfinals, where they will face either São Paulo or Bolívar. The first legs are scheduled for the week of September 8–10, with return legs on September 15–17. If both advance, a potential semifinal clash with arch-rivals River Plate could be on the horizon.
Before that, Boca must refocus on domestic duties. Currently sitting 10th in Zone A with 6 points, they will face Racing in a match that carries immense historical significance—the two clubs share one of Argentina's most passionate rivalries.
For Context
Boca Juniors, based in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, is one of the most successful clubs in South American history, with numerous Copa Libertadores titles. The Copa Sudamericana is the continent's secondary club competition, featuring teams from all ten CONMEBOL member countries. Deportivo Recoleta, a smaller Paraguayan club, had exceeded expectations by reaching the Round of 16, but Boca's experience and firepower proved too much.