Álvaro Carreras Impresses in Benfica Debut During Dramatic Club World Cup Draw with Boca Juniors
Álvaro Carreras made his first official appearance for Benfica in a high-octane 2-2 draw against Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup — a match hailed as one of the tournament’s most entertaining so far.
Despite entering the contest as favorites, Benfica found themselves trailing early, with Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia scoring within the opening half hour for Boca. Merentiel finished sharply from close range, while Battaglia added a second with a well-timed header.
Benfica responded just before halftime, with Ángel Di María calmly slotting home a penalty to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The match wasn’t without controversy. Midfielder Ander Herrera, who had been taken off due to injury, was sent off from the bench after a heated exchange with a Boca staff member. Later in the second half, Boca’s Andrea Belotti received a straight red card for a dangerous tackle, giving Benfica a numerical advantage.
The equalizer finally arrived in the 84th minute when Nicolás Otamendi rose highest to head home from a set-piece. The Argentine veteran, a former River Plate player, celebrated passionately in front of the Boca crowd — adding extra spice to an already fiery clash.
Following the game, Otamendi was asked about rising star Álvaro Carreras, whose name has been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
“Álvaro is incredibly hardworking and humble,” Otamendi said. “Right now, he’s completely focused on helping Benfica in this tournament. His future is in his hands, but for now, he’s all in with us.”
Otamendi initially referred to Carreras in the past tense, calling it “a huge pleasure” to have him at the club, before correcting himself to stress that Carreras remains a key part of the team.
Carreras completed the full 90 minutes, impressing both fans and pundits with his composure and energy. As speculation about his next move builds, his performances on the world stage could be pivotal in shaping his future
