The opportunity factor: Banfield’s hidden card to worry River in the Champions Trophy

Cover letter from Banfield argue with River a place in the Champions Trophy final against Boca does not offer high expectations. With two points out of 12 played, no wins and one noteworthy detail: in two of the four matches played by the rival they lost a player to a red card and yet the team Javier Sanguinetti​, with plenty of time on the clock, couldn’t make the difference and drew one and lost the other. He only scored two goals and they scored five. Whichever perspective the game is viewed from, the Millionaire He is the candidate to access the final.

“You are never a favorite when you play against River. We won’t see what happens, we have the illusion of playing another final, and for that we have to play an almost perfect match”Sanguinetti analyzed with multiple shares distributed in the same sentence: that of reality, optimism and hope. None of the three variables apply between the time the referee blows his whistle to start and end the match. Beyond the numbers, in 11 against 11, what each team offers on the pitch is what defines it and what the team has shown Drill in four dates does not have a clear game characteristic and a lot of minuses.

Among his defects is the definition: Banfield does not have one of the players who walks straight, there are more shots deflected than those that reach their destination. You don’t have a goal, represent it accurately. Neither among the owners nor among those who enter as a replacement. The two goals of the tournament are the responsibility of Andrés Chávezstarter in the last three games.

The bad start to the season for Banfield and the few changes made to turn the situation around show another characteristic of Sanguinetti’s team: it has what it looks like, there is nothing but minors to try to change the phantom proposal. The goalkeeper – one of the best, despite Banfield’s position in the table – and the back four repeated all dates, just like Brian Aleman. Half plus one of the team is always the same and also who rotates.

Why except the first game, when the brothers Sosa Sanchez They were first, then alternated. Agostino Urzzi He’s gone – he played alone on his debut and was sold to the Mexican Juárez – and there are no repeated feats in midfield: the expulsion of Alexander Cabrera on the first date and the lack of rhythm of Eric Remedies make that likely tandem of removal and construction impossible. There, sometimes, Alemán joins without this being the most salient characteristic of him. The boy Juan Byzantium the one that arrived from the Pimera national team without stopping is just a bet with 193 minutes in the elite of Argentine football spread over three incomplete matches.

“If I know I won’t be able to compete, I don’t even show up. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”admitted Sanguinetti in the preview of the match against River and herein lies the key. The only thing Banfield can offer is the self-confidence of its players for giving the boost that comes from playing against a great team who want exactly the same thing: to win to reach the final. The opportunity to break out of poverty when no one expects it.

If Banfield achieved this instance, it was thanks to another team led by Sanguinetti, in his first move as DT of the club. On that occasion they played the Maradona Cup final against Boca and despite the defeat – it was on penalties – that team was different: by name (the survivors of that team are Coronel and Cabrera, the latter taking over without entering), but mainly for the game That team had an idea, a scheme and a strength that made it a protagonist. Today the coach cannot deprive his coaches of the condition of partner.

On that occasion against Boca, with better arguments than the previous one against River, Sanguinetti’s Banfield consumed a draw which forced penalties, an instance in which the xeneize it was more effective.

Perhaps, with this austere version, the only thing Sanguinetti has at hand is to seize the opportunity and convince his team that they are at the right time and in the right place to straighten the course, which are 10 points behind the leaders – nothing less than Lanús, with an ideal score – and only one of the three teams sharing the bottom position in the table. Unlike the river, for Banfield it is glory or devotion. And this attitude is what can detract from the value of statistics.