Horacio Pagani
07/31/2021 2:38 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/31/2021 2:38 PM
Football-game avatars usually have their own imprint, unpredictable, of course.
But the details always count for the exciting world of forecasting
. That many times are not fulfilled. The AFA finally determined that the match for the round of 16 of the Argentine Cup between River and Boca be played this Wednesday, August 4. It was the position that River maintained, after all the only team classified in international cups (the Libertadores, in his case) and, therefore, a tight schedule awaits him this month that begins.
Boca intended to run it towards September.
Especially before his controversial elimination from the Cup against Atlético Mineiro.
It could not be.
Then
the toned River will meet
- he won three games in a week, including the victory against Argentinos Juniors by that same Libertadores - with his new scoring force and
the beaten Boca
de Miguel Russo.
It is as if the differences have exploded in recent times with greater rigor.
Marcelo Gallardo's team -always offensive- caused goal situations but did not materialize them.
He even began his participation in this league championship with a loss to Colón de Santa Fe (the last champion) at Monumental itself.
Suddenly Bruno Zuculini -posted lately- expressed to the coach his wishes to emigrate (he had an offer in the promotion of Italian football) since he could not achieve continuity.
Gallardo told him that he would take them into account.
And he had it quickly: he
changed the tactical drawing
and included it as a double central midfielder, next to Enzo Pérez.
Bruno Zuculini became a key piece of the new River.
Photo: AFP
The success was immediate
. Zuculini not only transformed into a figure but also scored on goals. While in Boca they have doubted and staggered for months in the search for an area 9, necessary for the team since the disintegration of the previous team (9 players left) in River they found Braian Romero, who was in Defense in a couple of days and Justice. Gallardo, who usually waits for the reinforcements to adapt, sent him to the entrance court.
And the 30-year-old striker responded with 3 goals in two games and a few decisive passes.
The good winds appeared through Nuñez in full force.
The team was one point behind the leaders Independiente and San Lorenzo, after three dates.
And he waits confidently for Atlético Mineiro, the unjust executioner of Boca, who now - surely - will be more "observed" with greater severity after his conflicting classification.
The other face
The news of the squad that Riquelme commands and that Miguel Russo directs comes from the opposite path.
After the double dispossession of the Brazilians (Boca had scored legal goals in both games and they were annulled with the suspicious performance of the VAR, a dangerous weapon that was added to football, accustomed to living with referee errors but not with these of the confusing technological inclusion, managed by people, of course) the novel did not end after the penalty shootout in Belo Horizonte.
It lasted in a brawl in the locker room and a wait of 11 hours (most of the campus in a bus) at the police station.
Members and players of the Boca Juniors team, from Argentina, at the door of a Belo Horizonte police station.
Photo: EFE
The Ministry of Health considered that the health bubble had been broken and ruled a seven-day isolation for the delegation when it arrived in Ezeiza.
It was Thursday.
La Liga marked a commitment for Saturday at the Banfield court.
Boca asked for a postponement of that game and that of the following Tuesday in which he had to face San Lorenzo in the Bombonera.
Meanwhile, he presented his Reserve team to play on Friday morning with Banfield.
The request for the first postponement was denied and the young people who had played on Friday returned to do so on Saturday in the First.
They drew 0-0 with a very good performance that had deserved -even- the victory.
There was then a strong exchange between Román Riquelme and Marcelo Tinelli, president of the League.
The vice president of Boca declared that the television host had anticipated the possibility of suspensions.
As this did not happen, the contradictory versions of one and the other came out.
With the addition of Riquelme's chicane, remembering that Tinelli
(president of San Lorenzo in use of license) wanted to take advantage of the advantage, precisely in the confrontation between both teams.
Tinelli hid from the fact that the decision came from the League's Board of Directors.
And the truth is that the young people of Boca had to complete the absurdity of three games in five days, when the date was split between Tuesday and Thursday and could well be postponed.
(Fabra and Cardona participated for a while).
The real thing is that San Lorenzo won 2-0 and reached the top of the tournament.
And Boca was left with two points in three games, close to last place.
The relationship between both clubs became more tense when Boca managed to force the transfer of Juan Ramírez (San Lorenzo player) after Riquelme (his teammate in Argentinos Juniors in 2014) convinced him of the change.
Sebastián Villa, marked by Gonzalo Montiel, wants to leave Boca.
Photo: EFE / Marcelo Endelli POOL
But Boca's problems did not end there.
Sebastián Villa (the most unbalancing forward of the team), angered by the new rejection of the Football Council to a proposal from Bruges of Belgium, it is said of 7 million euros for 70% of the pass that belongs to Boca (the other 30 % is from Deportes Tolima), took his belongings from the club and did not show up to train. His termination clause is $ 40 million and his contract expires on December 31, 2024. In addition, the player must face an oral trial for gender violence promoted by his former partner.
In these conditions, Boca -already the starter- travels to Córdoba to face Talleres for the fourth date of the tournament, while River-relieved by its current situation- receives Huracán.
On Wednesday, at 7 p.m., the Ciudad de La Plata stadium will face each other for the round of 16 of the Argentine Cup.
The realities are dissimilar, without a doubt.
But this is football.
And it is always useless to do accounts in advance.
Look also
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Villa did not show up for training because he wants to go yes or yes to Belgium and in Boca they stand firm