Defensa y Justicia
- Defensa y Justicia, currently 15th in Liga Profesional - Apertura 2026 with 19 points from 14 games, are in a poor form streak that has seen them lose their last 3 matches.
- They were beaten 3-1 by CA Independiente Avellaneda in a midweek encounter, while Boca Juniors, currently 6th in the same league with 24 points from 14, beat local rivals CA River Plate 1-0 away.
- Mariano Soso’s methods are pragmatic and the team is always set up to counter-press and sit compact when they lose possession.
- However, they are also capable of creating real width with the wing-backs in order to overload the flanks when they have the ball.
- This compact style is triggered by a simple yet effective pressing strategy and the squad are capable of playing at pace in transition, especially with Aaron Molinas, who has scored 3 times in 13 league games this season (2 in last 5), as their primary threat.
Boca Juniors
- Claudio Úbeda has been very structured and versatile this season, rotating his squad but keeping the team performing in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 setup.
- Boca’s plan for every match is to control possession, keep a stable midfield, and push full backs wide in order to be fluid and adapt to any situation.
- Miguel Merentiel (4 goals in 11 league appearances) is Boca’s most lethal forward, but they will need to rely on the quality of their midfielders to dominate the game.
Head-to-Head
- In their last three head-to-head clashes both teams have one win and one draw, with Defensa y Justicia winning the most recent home meeting 2-1.
- Boca Juniors have failed to win on their last 3 visits to Defensa y Justicia.
Key Players
- Aaron Molinas - who has scored 3 times in 13 league games this season (2 in last 5).
- Miguel Merentiel - 4 goals in 11 league appearances.
Betting Insights
- Boca Juniors to win at 2.22 is a massive overestimation, Defensa y Justicia at 3.47 and the draw at 3.04 look extremely underpriced.
- There is a good chance that this game will be close and we are taking the under 2.5 goals line at 1.51.
Prediction
However, Boca Juniors have found some form away with 3 straight wins, so we think they can edge a close game on Thursday, although the recent head-to-heads at this stadium point to a tricky venue for the visitors.
