Boca Juniors Face Unwanted CONMEBOL Referee Appointment for O’Higgins Return Leg

Boca Juniors will travel to Rancagua on Thursday to defend their 1-0 first-leg lead against O’Higgins in the Copa Sudamericana playoff round. The club already has a difficult season behind it – eliminated from the Copa Libertadores far earlier than expected – but now another obstacle has emerged from outside the pitch. CONMEBOL confirmed that Colombian referee William Roldán will take charge of the return leg, a decision that immediately revives memories of several painful continental exits.

Roldán is the foreign referee who has officiated Boca most often in the club’s history, with 19 previous matches. His record is balanced: 8 wins, 4 draws, 7 losses. But the timing of his appearances has been anything but neutral for Boca supporters. Three of the club’s last four major knockout failures came with Roldán on the field.

Por que importa

Key facts

Roldán’s first major Boca match was the 2012 Copa Libertadores final second leg, a 2-0 loss to Corinthians. He also refereed both semifinal second legs at Allianz Parque – against Palmeiras in 2018 and 2023 – where Boca advanced on penalties each time. For O’Higgins, this will be the first time Roldán officiates their match.

The 2023 Libertadores final in the Maracanã
In that match against Fluminense, Roldán initially received little criticism for his decisions. However, during extra time he issued a second yellow card to Frank Fabra after consulting the VAR, leaving Boca with ten men just before the half-time break of extra time. Boca had held a numerical advantage after Kennedy’s red card for celebrating in the stands, but Fabra’s dismissal turned the tide. Fluminense scored soon after and won the title.

Contexto

The 2024 Sudamericana elimination in Belo Horizonte
The following year, Roldán sent off Luis Advíncula before the first minute of the second leg against Cruzeiro was over. Boca played the entire match with ten men, fell behind early, and eventually lost on penalties. Boca supporters have since pointed to similar incidents in other matches where Roldán chose a yellow card instead of a red, accusing him of inconsistency.

The 2026 Libertadores group-stage exit
Most recently, Roldán officiated Boca’s decisive group-stage match against Universidad Católica at La Bombonera. Boca needed a win to stay alive. Ángel Romero scored what would have been the equaliser in the final minutes, but Roldán disallowed the goal for an offside that involved Miguel Merentiel’s movement in the build-up. Replays showed the decision was tight, and the elimination was sealed.

What this means for the O’Higgins match
The history is not purely negative – Roldán has officiated matches Boca have won, and two penalty-shootout advances came under his watch. But the pattern of high-stakes eliminations with a controversial decision has made him a figure of unease for the club. The match in Rancagua is a do-or-die fixture: O’Higgins need only a 1-0 win to force extra time, and a 2-0 result would eliminate Boca.

Boca’s current form in the Copa Sudamericana has been inconsistent, and the squad is still adjusting to the absence of some key players. The referee assignment adds an extra layer of tension for fans and players alike.

For the site’s readers – football followers who track continental competitions and club histories – this story underlines how a single appointment can shape the narrative of a decisive match. It is not about predicting the result but about understanding the context. Boca will hope that Roldán’s track record does not repeat itself on Thursday.

Source: Ole – La mala noticia que Boca recibió de Conmebol para la revancha con O’Higgins (https://www.ole.com.ar/boca-juniors/boca-conmebol-mala-noticia-ohiggins-equipo-sudamericana_0_U9jgSjOcEC.html)