Anger in River: the audio of the VAR and Armani’s shouts at the referee in the controversial penalty against The Strongest

April has begun and in this part of the world the group stage of Copa Libertadores AND South American, the most important club competitions on a continental level. Tuesday also marked the debut for Riverin a match marred by a controversial move.

Hours later, the VAR audios were released (something the Argentine League is reluctant to release) and there you can see what the referees talked about with their assistants.

For the first round of group D, Demichelis’ team went out to play in La Paz against The Strongest as if the legendary Hernando Siles was not at 3600 meters above sea level but in Figueroa Alcorta and Udaondo. After the first 15 suffocating minutes of the away game, in which the team attacked and was about to score for the first time, an isolated counterattack by aurinegro led to the penalty which made it 1-0 for the locals, with the participation of primo plan by FrancoArmani.

The world champion goalkeeper of the Argentina national team came out a little late to cut a deep ball for Enrique Triverio and in his eagerness to annoy the former Unión and Racing striker, his legs seemed to graze his rival’s knee. Was he criminal? The Venezuelan referee Jesús Valenzuela did not hesitate and charged the offense. The action, minimal, was very finite but the VAR agreed to that first appreciation because he didn’t call him to come to the monitor to review it.

After the late evening, Conmebol broadcast the audio between Valenzuela and his assistants, who first confirmed Armani’s touch and then established whether Triverio was enabled or offside at the time of his partner’s pass.

“Hit this. Let’s go first to the possible penalty. Hit this, softly, softly. Hit him, let him run now. Perfect, Jesus, we hear you, we’re reviewing the situation. Look, the first contact. Clear, clear, penalty confirmed, we’ll see the possible offside,” the VAR and AVAR referees were the first to comment from the booth.

After throwing the famous jokes and confirming that Triverio was in a legal position, Valenzuela received the official confirmation: “Jesus, are you copying me? Penalty confirmed”.

While all this was happening, Valenzuela argued with Armani: “Don’t argue, Armani! Don’t say that!”, the Venezuelan referee heard himself say. But the 1 did not come to his senses, claiming what for him was an injustice: “With what did I touch him, let’s see? What penalty do you charge him?”, he insisted.

Armani, Armani, they’re checking! Do you want me to scold you? Come on, brother, they’re checking, they’re checking, come on! Brother, come on, come on, calm down, they’re checking. Armani, please, come on! I have to do the procedure, I have to do the same procedure!”, Valenzuela shouts, trying to put the River area in order.

Armani tried to convince the prick: “But if I stay like this and he comes looking for me!”. It was the closure of the controversy, with the final verdict from Valenzuela: “For me the penalty is confirmed, ready, don’t invade the area, they’ve already told me it’s confirmed”.

Triverio scores the 1-0 and the game turns 180 degrees in favor of The Strongest, who quickly realizes the 2-0, leaving River on the verge of a knockout at the start of the second half, with the third goal of the evening. . An evening that didn’t end with an even greater defeat because Demichelis moved the bench and the millionaire threatened a reaction that decorated the result.