He arrived just two summers ago, but he has already become a reference for Boca's defense
.
A symptom of his firmness.
At the end of the day, the central defenders of 'Xeneize' always had tough characteristics.
However,
Nicolás Figal
also brings together all the attributes of the modern scoreboard: starting and driving, fundamentally.
That is why
Juan Román Riquelme
did not hesitate to renew his contract.
Within hours of the Superclásico, the president sealed the extension of the relationship with the 29-year-old player until December 2027.
PHOTO MARCELO CARROLL - Clarín
Figal had his football origins in Independiente, he was transferred to Inter Miami long before David Beckham was planning to have Leonel Messi.
Boca bought the pass from the North American club for $2,600,000 and the player from América (Province of Buenos Aires) arrived in January 2022. At that time, there were Carlos Izquierdoz, Marcos Rojo and Lisandro López as the first alternatives.
Since in Avellaneda he knew how to play as a right back, he adapted.
But he soon earned his place in the defense that he shared with Rojo.
While the captain was recovering from torn ligaments in his right knee, he teamed up with Nicolás Valentini.
This year, as the experienced player who wore the National Team shirt was injured again, he established himself alongside Cristian Lema, recently arrived from Lanús.
He even gave him the position of Puerto Madryn's first central marker.
Diego Martínez
considers him a key piece.
Currently, he has played 79 games with the blue and gold jersey and scored 4 goals.
And he won three titles: League Cup, Professional League and Argentine Super Cup, all in 2022.
PHOTO MARCELO CARROLL - CLARIN
Figal's renewal is not coincidental.
The objective of the Football Council is to resolve the continuity of players whose links expire at the end of the year.
It is about Sergio Romero, Luis Advíncula, Pol Fernández, Edinson Cavani, Valentini and Darío Benedetto.
In addition, they are working to extend Marcelo Weigandt's contract, which expires in June.
Figal, needless to say, will start against River.
What will happen to Red?
The reference tore his left calf 40 days ago, in the pre-competitive warm-up of the match that marked Martínez's debut on the bench, against Gimnasia y Tiro for the Argentine Cup.
Now, he wants to be.
With a lot of wind in his favor, he will go to the bank.
The one who is ruled out is Pol Fernández
.
The midfielder suffered a sprained right ankle and will not be able to play at the Monumental.
In the face of this transcendental duel for this Boca team that is in the doldrums, the coach has to define if he changes the sides (Lucas Blondel and Lautaro Blanco ask for a clue) and what decision he makes going forward with Cavani, who has been going through a dark streak.