Darío Benedetto, before Boca’s debut in the Libertadores: “I’m not saying I’m not interested in a tournament, but my only goal is the Cup”

It was almost seven years ago. He had resigned a lot of money to América de México to fulfill his dream of playing for Boca, join the Copa Libertadores and help raise the Seventh as a good fan. He was in the semi-finals against Independiente del Valle, in a rare guest debut in Quito which saw him play more from outside right than from nine. It was the beginning of an elusive search in which Darius Benedict he is still engaged and from this Thursday he will make his fifth attempt since his debut against Monagas at the start of Group F.

“It touched me be champion several times, win league titles and Super Cups, and the next game they already asked you for the Copa Libertadores. That’s the beauty of playing for Boca. But you have to be very mentally prepared, not everyone wears a shirt. That’s why, because you focus on winning a championship, you win it and they automatically ask you for the Cup, it’s great, I like it. You have to be focused and prepared. It’s the main goal we have, it will be difficult, there are very important teams that have strengthened well, but we’re here the best team of argentinian football and we just need to improve football. We don’t know if Mariano (Herrón) will continue or if a coach will arrive, but we have to be focused for Thursday.”

“I returned to Boca to win the Libertadores, I’ve offered him to myself since I arrived in 2016 and it couldn’t be given, we had him at hand in the final against River. And today I want to see Boca in another final, in another final and obviously win it. Many things can happen after that, but the main personal goal I have is that, whether there are championships or not. Seriously, I say this as a Boca fan: Let’s hope the championships can happen, because it’s important for the club, but what matters most to me is the Cup. Let’s hope it can happen. We’ve been fighting for it for a while and it’s making it difficult for us, but today we have another opportunity and hopefully we can play another final,” he added, saying he wasn’t afraid to headline the press. Even if right away , just in case, made a clarification: “I’m not saying that a championship isn’t interesting, but that personally my only goal is to win the Cup. If there are championships, it’s better, it will break, but my main goal is the Copa Libertadores” he added in an Interview with Canal de Boca.

In the mouth, pipe won six titlesthree in his first phase between 2016 and 2019 and three in the current one which began in 2022, but both the fans and he ask for the Libertadores which he has been denied since 2007. For the forward there was a defeat in the final against River (2018), two defeats in the semifinals against Independiente del Valle and River (2016 and 2019), and the last elimination in the round of 16 against Corinthians (2022), when missed a penalty in 90 minutes and another in the definition, and suffered a major blow from which he struggled to recover and opened up a rousing second semester for him.

In total, in this competition, he has 11 goals in 21 games played. And on Thursday he will be the starter in Venezuela, as part of the same 11 that was against Barracas Central and will be repeated against Monagas, according to the test that Herrón made this Tuesday during training in Ezeiza.

Today, at 32, Benedetto feels more mature and ready to face the challenge. He says he handles it differently, although he admits to being capricious, horny and very stubborn, which is why he always wants to try again: “The first three years cost me more, Everything has really surpassed me, the love that people have given me. I never expected it, he surpassed me. Today I feel much calmer knowing what Boca World is. It hurts when you lose and people get angry. I’m a fan and I know how the Boca fan thinks, and I know the players are in debt. We all want the Copa Libertadores and we will focus on that. Then I grew up, I’m 32 and I know what the press is like, they’re always talking about us, win or lose. We know we are the only ones, the greatest.”

Boca’s appointment with the Libertadores