Boca and River's key players anticipated the big clash on Sunday at La Bombonera for the Torneo Clausura
The midfielder also referred to the recent contract renewal of Marcelo Gallardo as the team's coach: "The club made it clear that the support for the coach is enormous. We're still alive in the league, and knowing that we have him doubles down on our commitment. In tough times, real support is revealed."
During the same event, the infamous AFA president, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, highlighted the importance of the Superclásico, which he described as one of the most relevant matches in the world. He also took the opportunity to announce a new development related to the upcoming FIFA Date: Lionel Scaloni will not draft players who play in the Argentine League for the friendly that the National Team will play against Angola on Friday the 14th.
This way, players such as Leandro Paredes (Boca), Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Acuña and Lautaro Rivero (River), along with Facundo Cambeses (Racing), who have been regularly drafted in recent lists, will be released to play the final stage of the 2025 Clausura Tournament. Tapia clarified that the measure doesn't apply to those players who might be drafted by other national teams.
In the lead-up to the Superclásico next Sunday, during the typical pre-match press conference, Leandro Paredes and Juan Fernando Quintero gave very measured statements, although they did not hide the significance of the match that brings the country to a standstill.
First, the midfielder from Boca did not hesitate to highlight the magnitude of the match: "It's a special match, extremely important, one of the most important of my career," he stated seriously. When asked about River's current situation, the midfielder was blunt: "We only think about ourselves. Whatever happens on the other side is their problem. I'm not the one to talk about the other club."
Meanwhile, Juanfer Quintero acknowledged that River is going through a difficult time, although he assured that the Superclásico could mark a turning point. "The present is not the best compared to what we're usually used to, but it's a clásico, a historic match, and we have a great opportunity to make a statement," said the Colombian.
