Minute 20 of the last Boca-Belgrano
.
Passerini, the number nine of the Córdoba team (a lethal forward in the air and, although slow, no trunk with his feet) goes to dispute a ball with Figal, loses and collapses as if he had been shot in the right leg.
There he remains, hard on the ground
.
The play continues and the one who loses it immediately is Advíncula, the Boca full-back, who also jumps and makes a moving roll on the grass.
The Peruvian's fall acts as the miracle that heals Passerini
, because he gets up immediately without traces of his recent pain, runs to look for a clearance in the area, arrives and defines perfectly to score the goal.
From the right
.
The scene I just described is a constant in domestic soccer:
players spend their time simulating fouls
either to gain the advantage of a free kick in their favor (Passerini) or to cover up a mistake (Advíncula).
Adam Bareiro, San Lorenzo scorer (and great simulator).
Photo: Marcelo Carroll.
The motto seems to be: “When in doubt, throw yourself away;
and never do the one about Soto (Defensa y Justicia), who dived into the Boca area, was given a penalty and couldn't resist the temptation of winking from the ground to let his teammates know that he was simulating, because a close up of the camera can leave you exposed and with nothing.”
There are players who are very tempted to stay on the floor and wallow
.
Bareiro, for example.
The San Lorenzo striker, a master at putting his body and fighting with the centre-backs, usually collapses several times a game, especially when he goes to comb his goalkeeper's long balls and they attack him from behind.
Whether or not they have taken the foul, the Paraguayan's acting includes a face frowning in pain, rubbing his back and standing up in slow motion with movements that warn of a difficult recovery, because he
is one of those who plays his injured role with the commitment typical of Hollywood stars
who remain in character even off the set.
In his theatrical zeal, he sometimes ignores that his team has recovered the ball and, unlike Passerini, he remains down, which he will later compensate with his striking scoring efficiency.
Last River-Boca: only 41 minutes of net play.
Photo: Marcelo Carroll.
The consequence of this scenic vocation that spreads throughout Argentine football is
a short, annoying game, without rhythm
.
The net time of the last River-Boca was just 41 minutes, 9 less than the average of the local tournament and
18 less than that of the Premier League
, according to data from the consulting firm Opta Stats Perform.
It is often repeated like a mantra that the result of a match is often defined “by details” and we will have to see if faking infractions does not fall into this nebulous category.
Perhaps there is a technical director who is considering adding to his team of collaborators, in addition to field assistant, physical trainer, goalkeeper coach, video analyst and psychologist,
a drama teacher
.
And perhaps APTRA, always in search of innovations, already has in mind to award
a Martín Fierro to the Best Actor in Argentine Soccer
.
Because if it's a show, let it be a real one.