The crazy Argentine football arrives in the province of San Luis, at the La Pedrera stadium of Villa Mercedes, for the dispute of the final of Champions Trophy. And here’s the paradox: Fernando Gago Y Hugo Benjamin Ibarrathe coaches of the teams that have scored the most points in the year, they still have a lot to prove, especially behind closed doors.
The feeling is that they both have enough to lose and not much to gainr, as well as the academic technician must remove the thorn to impose himself in a great collapse. They play this Sunday from 5pm (ESPN Premium and TNT Sports) and it will be the final point for local competition and the ultimate awakening of World Cup fever.
The Ibarra case
If Gago and Ibarra earned the right to play in the final it is because they did most of the things well. The coach of xeneize was also crowned in the national championship a couple of weeks ago. But there is something that does not completely close Juan Román Riquelmethe boss of the ball.
The elimination in Copa Argentina against Patronato was a warning sign for the strongmen of the Football Council. And they are already thinking about the future: Is Ibarra the ideal coach to face the next Copa Libertadores?
It is known that for Riquelme and the management it will not be another cup: it will be the last before the end of the mandate, in December 2023. It is also known: raising the Libertadores is one of the goals they have set themselves since they took office at the end of 2019.
So heThe tenure of Ibarra is not assured, beyond some favorable signs. But no one has confirmed it in the last few hours, not even after the coronation in the tournament. A strong defeat could tip the scales, as well as a comfortable victory. That’s why DT is played a lot.
The Gago case
The continuity of Gago in the cast of Avellaneda is guaranteed by the management: it is the academic fan who must be seduced. The TD will have a new opportunity in a goat game, an issue that has been pending throughout the year. Racing fell on penalties against Boca in the League Cup, was eliminated from minor teams in Copa Sudamericana (River de Montevideo) and Copa Argentina (Agropecuario de Carlos Casares) and lost an impossible match against River in the last date of the past championship.
The Academy responded Wednesday against Tigre at Tomás Ducó and were confident in the final. The feeling for Gago is similar to that of Ibarra: a bad fall would increase the discomfort of the fans. The difference is that a victory, in any case, would strengthen the structure and the project.
Fatigue and victims
Schools arrive tired, it is true. It is not true, however, that Boca have a small advantage because during the week they did not play as Racing did, which played 120 minutes and in hellish heat. But it happens that those driven by Ibarra accumulate many more minutes and kilometers traveled throughout the season. In fact, with this afternoon, Boca will equal the Estudiantes and they will be the ones to add more duels of the year, with 58. For the Academymeanwhile, it will be the 53rd presentation.
Both come with significant losses. Marcos Rojo, point of reference for the defense of Boca, did not go to San Luis because he has already started rehabilitation treatments for the operation on the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. Accompanying the teammates were Enzo Copetti and Emiliano Vecchio, also with ligament problems.
So far, no known absences. But Darío Benedetto and Luca Langoni also arrive in Boca with just enough and that’s why Ibarra will take them to the bank. Luis Vázquez and Norberto Briasco will accompany Sebastián Villa. In midfield, meanwhile, Juan Ramírez beat Paraguayan Óscar Romero and will play alongside Alan Varela and Pol Fernández.
Gago will confirm the titles only shortly before the final. It is known that Maximiliano Romero will be Copetti’s replacement. Gonzalo Piovi and Eugenio Mena, who finished the duel against Tigre exhausted, recovered from the fatigue and would leave.
In San Luis, Boca and Racing compete in a new final. And as always, the stakes will be too high.
The presentation
Beside Alberto Rodríguez Saá, governor of the Province of San Luis, Darío Benedetto and Iván Pillud, representatives of Boca and Racing, pulsed what will be the duel this afternoon. And they both declared in equal agreement. “We got more than expected, plus the fact that three months ago everyone killed us and left us for dead,” Pipa fired. “They also killed us in the last few days, but the team showed character in the game against Tigre. Getting a title would be very nice to crown the great year we had ”, were the words of the academic right back.
The press conference was brief: only a couple of questions were accepted. And one of the arguments revolved around the best team of the season. Will the prevailing one be the best of the year? “No: the best of the game that will be played will be defined. Throughout the championship we have won, we have shown that we are the best. It will be a final against a great team that plays very well and that we have all seen. But it is a separate game and nothing detracts from what we have achieved in the year “, assured the xeneize scorer.” As a group we had an excellent year, even if we were not given any goals. Yes, we managed to achieve to enter the next Copa Libertadores and it is no small thing. The final is a separate game. We are very calm, knowing that it is a new opportunity, “said Pillud.
The Racing defender will be the starter and captain, while the Boca scorer will be on the bench because he has problems. “I reached the limit, but I wanted to be here and I tried a lot. I’m here to play for a few minutes and I hardly feel the tear, ”said Benedetto. And Pillud closed: “We arrived in the best conditions. What we had on the last date was a big blow. But we have recovered from worse situations than this and I fully trust my teammates. We will give the best we have “.
Saint Louis. Special delivery.
Source: Clarin
