Boca Juniors faces must-win Copa Libertadores clash against Universidad Católica

Boca Juniors faces a must-win situation on Thursday as they take on Universidad Católica of Chile in the final group stage match of the Copa Libertadores 2026. The high-stakes game kicks off at 9:30 PM and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, with online streaming available on Flow, DGO, and Disney+ Premium.

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Boca Juniors is on edge about its continuity in the Copa Libertadores 2026 and its future is being played out this Thursday against Universidad Católica of Chile.

The Argentine club is currently third in Group D with seven points, trailing leaders Universidad Católica (10 points) and second-place Cruzeiro (8 points). A victory against the Chilean side would see Boca draw level with them on points. Thanks to CONMEBOL's new 'Olympic' tie-breaking system, which prioritizes head-to-head results, Boca would advance if they win, as they defeated Universidad Católica 2-1 in their previous encounter.

However, a draw would not be enough for Boca to qualify. If they draw and Cruzeiro loses to Barcelona of Ecuador, both Boca and Cruzeiro would finish with seven points. In that scenario, Cruzeiro would advance based on their superior head-to-head record against Boca. A third-place finish would relegate Boca to the Copa Sudamericana playoffs.

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For the Xeneize it is a transcendental match: they must win sí o sí to advance to the round of 16.

Coach Claudio Úbeda's squad is hampered by significant absences. Santiago Ascacíbar is suspended for one more match, while Ayrton Costa is out due to accumulated yellow cards. Marco Pellegrino and Ander Herrera are expected to fill their positions. Additionally, Adam Bareiro is sidelined with a muscle injury, and Miguel Merentiel is doubtful due to a physical issue, potentially giving Exequiel Zeballos a starting role alongside Milton Giménez.

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If they draw and Cruzeiro loses to Barcelona of Ecuador - they face each other simultaneously in Belo Horizonte -, Boca and the Brazilians will conclude with seven units but in the matches between them the team of Artur Jorge harvested a victory 1 to 0 at home and a 1 to 1 draw in the Bombonera.