Racing traveled 14,000 kilometers to claim champions and prove that they are Argentina’s best team

It was necessary to travel 14 thousand kilometers, in the middle of the desert of the United Arab Emirates, to make sure of something we already knew: Racing is the best team in Argentina. And although he finished last season without “big” titles, his triumph in San Luis allowed him to cap off a high-level year. And now, in Al Ain, the team led by Fernando Gago has reconfirmed itself in the Supercoppa Internazionale against Mouth that his balloon can also embroider stars.

It should be clarified that both in the Hazza Bin Zayed stadium and in La Pedrera, arbitration was essential. This time the protagonist was fernando rapallini who, around the hour and when it seemed that all roads led to extra time and perhaps penalties, received a very fine hand inside the area -almost- without relying on the VAR. That sanction allowed Gonzalo Piovi seal the 2 to 1 for The Academywho will carry the trophy from here to Avellaneda.

It was -again- a clash of styles. This is modern football: one team assumes the role and possession of the ball. The other, however, waits and tries to fight back. Racing adapts to the first format and Boca, of course, to the second. Despite the nuances and sometimes the fear of making a mistake, the inaccuracies and the abuse of approximate play – the so-called egg – make the matches in Argentina a grotesque spectacle.

In Al Ain, Hugo Ibarra has chosen to wait and leave quickly with his arrows, Sebastián Villa and Norberto Briasco, to feed Darío Benedetto, who still seems far from his best moments. Gago, on the other hand, takes the risk – even if he doesn’t even chew the glass – and asks for the ball, works it and tries to create danger through possession.

It was reinforced with Maxi Moralez and the vial, who turns 36 in February, paid full price with his first song. The attacking midfielder was the driver that Racing needed to make a leap in quality in his game. And his collaboration with Johan Carbonero promises more joy. A pass from him in Rubén Paz mode left the Colombian hand in hand which he defined calmly to score the 1-1 run. Shortly after the launch of Facundo Roncaglia, a furious volley, which had opened the scoring and brought Boca ahead.

Racing dominated and perhaps deserved to win the Super Cup final first. He started the second half well and tested the reflexes of a very correct Javier García who kept the goal in the desert -Agustín Rossi and Sergio Romero didn’t even go on to the bench- but as the minutes went by he punched and could have lost also because Boca has grown hand in hand with the income of the boy Ezequiel Fernández. But when the duel was once again headed to extra time – Carbonero missed an empty-arc goal after Jonathan Gómez’s pass – Rapallini appeared and the controversies that defined the title.

Not even the VAR dispelled the doubts left by the play in which the ball hit Sandez, rebounded and hit his hand again in an attempt to block a cross from admitted Jonathan Gómez. Rapallini deserves credit for having remained firm in the decision to concede the penalty on the last play of the match. Piovi hit a big horse (when the ghost of what happened between Galván and Armani was in Migrazioni) and Racing raised another title. Deserved, by the way.

Now Gago and his boys will have to back up their clean and dumb victory to stop being a champion of the finals and become a champion of the tournament. A great champion.

Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. Special delivery.