Fernando Gago arrived in Argentina to become the new technical director of Boca

In just over eight hours of travel he had plenty of time to plan training sessions, develop strategies and evaluate players. Nevertheless, Fernando Gago I was already in Boca Mode from the first call from Juan Roman Riquelmetwo weeks ago and very despite the lies he dispensed in his last press conference at the helm of Chivas. This Sunday, at 9:04 p.m., he landed in Argentina. Monday will be “G” Day, not only will he take control of the squad left by Diego Martínez and will be officially presented; In addition, you will begin to travel a path full of demands. Because of the busy calendar, because of the immediate objectives and because of the urgency of a huge club that, in the last two years, failed to claim champion.

“Tomorrow we will have time to talk. I thank the Boca fans for all the messages of affection I received these days. I am returning home,” said the coach who returned to Argentina with his family and with 18 suitcases.

Gago’s choice was not accidental. Román needed a technician with a back. Beyond his status as an idol, the president began to be questioned for his decisions. With Jorge Almirón he reached the final of the Libertadores last year, but in Boca it is not enough to finish second. And Martínez did not meet any objective. It was left out of the League Cup in the semifinals at the hands of Estudiantes; It was eliminated by Cruzeiro in the round of 16 of the Sudamericana and is 12 points behind Vélez in the Professional League. Boca still has a carrot, not inconsiderable: the Argentine Cup, one of the first battles that the brand new coach will have to face. It will be on Wednesday the 23rd against Gimnasia at the Newell’s stadium.

This Monday afternoon, after signing his contract until December of next year – with an option until the end of 2026 -, he will command the first practice thinking about the duel against Tigre, on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. in Victoria. And while talk begins about possible reinforcements for the Club World Cup – as published Clarion-, Gago has several challenges ahead.

As a first measure, and even though his time at Chivas is still fresh, we must go back to Gago’s cycle for Racing, which consisted of 109 games (53 wins, 30 draws, 26 losses and an efficiency of 58%) and two titles (Champions Trophy and International Super Cup) against Boca, no less.

The scheme that Gago used the most, both in Aldosivi and in Racing, was the 4-3-3, which works like 4-1-4-1 in the retreat. With a guard style, he is a coach who appeals to possession and aggressive pressure after a loss. Also, to the numerical superiority in attack. The full-backs play boldly, the central midfielder can be positional or more disruptive, as in the case of Aníbal Moreno in the Academy, and the two interior players step into the area. On the outside, two wingers and a center forward.

Boca has human resources that fit Gago’s primary idea. It is possible to imagine Luis Advíncula and Lautaro Blanco projected on the wings and Aaron Anselmino as a great bet at the back. Will he be able to get more juice out of Ignacio Miramón and Tomás Belmonte, with different characteristics in the middle zone? Cristian Medina and Kevin Zenón are two who could play inside. And outside? He has three “9”: Miguel Merentiel, Edinson Cavani and Milton Giménez. Will the Beast play as a winger? Or will he adapt his formation to the 4-2-3-1 like in Chivas? In that sense, the two Uruguayans could play. On the sides he also has Exequiel Zeballos and Brian Aguirre. Everything remains to be seen, of course.

Gago is a young coach, he is 38 years old and has only been leading professional teams for three years, but he proved to be very strict and professional. He is very punctual, to the point that he assures: “I spend more time in training than at home.” And he expects the same from his footballers.

In Chivas, he eliminated Víctor Guzmán, a leading midfielder for the Guadalajara team. Until he saw him fit, he did not give him the chance to be a starter again. Mateo Chávez, a 20-year-old winger, was sidelined for arriving late for a tactical talk. And he took the same path with Yael Padilla (18), a young forward who was “distracted” at night.

There is another aspect that Gago does not negotiate: weight. Edwin Cardona was a whim of his in Racing, but he didn’t give him an extra centimeter (or a kilo) every time he was weighed. More than once, the coach left the Colombian on the sidelines for this issue. The same thing happened with Leonel Miranda.

It is clear that he will have no qualms with Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero. Even though he was his teammate in Boca, Cardona did not have privileges. Neither will his former cronies in the Argentine National Team.

About Rojo and Romero, are two cases that make noise in Boca. The central defender usually wears the captain’s ribbon, but He already received a message from Gago from Mexico: Until he is 100% physically, he will not be a starter. That is why he organized an intense set-up for the man from La Plata, with whom he shared the Brazil 2014 squad.

The case of Little one es sensible. Román’s idea is that he never play in Boca again after the fight he had with the plateistas after the Superclásico. Gago wants to reconcile him with the people, but Leandro Brey would continue as the starter. At least, at the beginning of the cycle.

Cavani will also need special conditioning. Despite his strength – he scored 22 goals in 2024 – he suffered muscle injuries that left him out at key moments: the first leg playoff against Independiente del Valle and the return leg with Cruzeiro in Belo Horizonte. He returned to play with River after 36 days away.

Between now and the end of the year, Boca has eleven games ahead of it, which could be thirteen if it reaches the final of the Argentine Cup. Gago does not usually appeal to the “memory team”, beyond having been one of Alfio Basile’s pupils in Boca. It usually rotates. And although he takes into account the rival in front of him when planning, he bets on his own.

It will be important to know who will start as starters to understand who will be the performers in the future. There may be one or two tweaks per game, not much more. Of course, during the ninety minutes, it is common for him to reach into the bank.

Light up the Gago era. Will Boca finally shine?