Boca Juniors - Gimnasia Chivilcoy: Copa Argentina clash set for Salta on Feb. 24
boca juniors - gimnasia chivilcoy meet in the 32nd-finals of the Copa Argentina at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena in Salta on Tuesday, Feb. 24; kickoff is scheduled for 7: 15 PM ET.
Match details and kickoff time
The match will be played at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena in Salta on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Local kickoff times given in regional listings are 21: 15 (ARG/URU/CHI) and 19: 15 (COL/PER/ECU); both correspond to 7: 15 PM ET. The fixture is a single-elimination tie in the Copa Argentina tournament.
Boca Juniors - Gimnasia Chivilcoy lineup
Claudio Úbeda is set to use a largely alternative starting XI as he balances load management with the demands of a knockout match. The coach’s plan includes handing an immediate start to newly arrived forward Adam Bareiro, who will be integrated quickly into the team. Only four players are expected to repeat from the recent Apertura match: Marcelo Weigandt, Tomás Belmonte, Milton Delgado and Ezequiel Alarcón. A probable XI has been circulated ahead of the game and lists Brey in goal, a defensive line featuring Weigandt and other options, Belmonte and Delgado in midfield, and Bareiro spearheading the attack alongside established squad members.
Youth call-up and squad news
The squad list contains a notable inclusion that drew positive attention from supporters: Dylan Gorosito is part of the traveling group after another player withdrew with injury. Gorosito’s presence on the list was linked to that absence and was celebrated by fans following the club’s official announcement. His trajectory includes a first-team debut in mid-2024 and involvement at youth international level, where he scored in the 2025 U-20 World Cup in a match against Italy. The call-up represents both cover for the injured player and a chance for a young defender to stake a claim for more minutes.
What to watch on the field
For Boca, midfield control is highlighted as decisive: Tomás Belmonte and Milton Delgado are named as players likely to influence the team’s ability to impose its game. For Gimnasia de Chivilcoy, defensive leaders Franco Flores and Martín Gallo are cited as key figures whose organization at the back could enable the lower-division side to attempt an upset in a one-off tie. This is the first official meeting between the clubs, which raises the uncertainty inherent in knockout football.
Why the match matters
The fixture carries immediate significance for Boca given the club’s difficult form in the domestic Apertura: the team has collected eight points from 18 available, an observable metric that increases the urgency of a positive Copa Argentina result. For Gimnasia, the match represents the club’s first official game of the 2026 campaign and a chance to make history in a national cup. Úbeda’s rotation approach aims to preserve regular starters while assessing depth in a competitive, high-stakes environment.
- Key time: Feb. 24, 7: 15 PM ET at Padre Martearena.
- Lineup note: Adam Bareiro expected to start; Gorosito included as a young call-up.
- Context: Boca has 8 points from 18 in the Apertura; Gimnasia plays its first official match of 2026.
Looking ahead, the immediate indicators to monitor are Boca’s midfield performance and how quickly Bareiro adapts to a starting role; if the home side cannot convert control into a win, knockout elimination would accentuate pressure on the coaching staff. Conversely, a disciplined defensive showing led by Gimnasia’s stalwarts could produce a notable upset in a fixture with no margin for error.
