The attractive goalless draw between Atlético Tucumán and River had everything
: two missed penalties by Núñez's team, a shot on the post for the locals, one on the crossbar for the visit, several goal situations and a strong cross between
Esequiel Barco
and coach
Martín Demichelis
for clear disobedience by the footballer.
There will be a lot of talk in the coming hours and days about Barco's challenge to Demichelis' authority.
Soccer players are brave, you know.
And sometimes capricious.
It is true that the result is what ends up tipping the balance to one side or the other.
What would have happened if Barco scored the penalty?
The sequence was clear.
Néstor Breitenbruch brought down Ignacio Fernández inside the area and Arasa scored the penalty.
Barco got a ball under his arm and Borja another.
There was a fight and the midfielder won;
The Colombian volleyed the ball into the stands.
The former Independiente's execution went to the middle and José Devecchi saved it with his right leg.
But the VAR observed Alexis Flores' zone invasion and the penalty was taken again.
There the challenge to authority occurred because an energetic Demichelis ordered Barco not to kick and for Borja to do so.
Nacho Fernández went to persuade him, but he couldn't do it.
The Colombian attacker slapped the creative midfielder on the face as a sign of support.
The shot went several meters over the crossbar and the coach was ejected from the substitute bench chewing up more than just anger.
They were 28 minutes into the initial stage.
In the remainder of the first stage, Demichelis gave no indications and stood with his arms crossed.
Barco, meanwhile, almost didn't touch the ball.
When Arasa scored the end, all his teammates went to cheer on Barco, while the coach quickly went into the locker room with a grim look on his face.
And the decision that Micho made at halftime will also have something to talk about: he took him out to put on the youthful Franco Mastantuono.
Yes, the 42-year-old coach sent a strong message of authority.
Esequiel Barco looks at the sky after missing the second penalty for River against Atlético Tucumán.
It is also true that River did not play well in that initial stage, beyond the two missed penalties.
In the first minutes, Atlético Tucumán looked more involved and put Franco Armani in trouble.
The performances of Sebastián Boselli and Ramiro Funes Mori were poor, those who came in so that Paulo Díaz and Leandro González Pirez could rest.
Uruguayan Nicolás Fonseca had a hard time finding a foothold in the midfield.
The clearest of the locals was a one-on-one that Marcelo Estigarribia failed in an unusual way: he was caught in the center of the area after a mistake by Boselli and hit him very badly with his left foot.
River did not flow in attack because Barco had a puncture and because Facundo Colidio was not very involved.
Nacho Fernández retreated too much.
Borja had one left and almost caromed it in after a rebound off goalkeeper Devecchi.
The match began with another headache for Demichelis: Borja came out with muscle discomfort and is beginning to be in doubt for the Superclásico on Sunday the 25th at the Monumental.
River played better in the complement.
Or more accurately: he handled the ball more and was closer to Devecchi's goal.
Atlético stopped more against and complicated a couple of runs, especially in Marcelo Herrera's sector.
A shot from Joaquín Pereyra to the post was the clearest.
Mastantuono's entry was interesting again, beyond the fact that he alternated good and bad.
The 16-year-old youth hit the crossbar with his left foot, made Devecchi overturn with a free kick and almost celebrated at the end with a header after a Palavecino corner.
The tie suited the duel that will be remembered for the cross between Barco and Demichelis.
Will there be more consequences?
"It's a game thing. That's it. You have to put it aside and look forward. Anyone can miss a penalty
," said captain
Franco Armani
.
And he added:
"We will talk to Esequiel later. But we don't have to create a big environment about this. He must be sad and we have to support him. It is important for us
. "