The other streak that worries Almirón: Boca suffered a red card every three games in 2023

In the fifteen games played this year, Boca have suffered five expulsions, or one every three games. However, if we take into account the Champions Trophy final against Racing, the epilogue of the year 2022, the figure rises to 12 in 16 presentations. A very high number in the history of the club.

The new coach said so Jorge Almiron after the debut defeat against San Lorenzo: “You have to be calm and take things as they come. The players have to be very cold to lower the decibels because after this hard defeat there are matches right away and the Cup arrives. We have to recover well and rethink various things”..

When the decibels fly, players are more prone to goofballs, those silly dismissals that so irritate the fans that the protagonists regret it. In the last three games, after the departure of Hugh Ibarrathe Xeneize suffered three reds and escaped from one. He had been left with nine men before Monk debuting in Libertadores Cup and with 10 in front of the Cyclone, but just before the start Jorge Nicola Figal by double reproach, it was Agostino Sandez the one who saw the direct red light but, due to the intervention of the VAR and after reviewing the play, the referee Facundo Tello changed to yellow.

The low level of football, a certain logical nervousness and coaching changes could be some of the causes of this curious streak. But, of course, he’s not the only one. Is there less permissiveness on the part of the referees than in other times? A fact that contrasts with the red three in the League tournament is that Boca is one of the teams that has committed the fewest fouls: 115, above only Tiger (99) and Central Cordoba (87). Furthermore, the three expulsions in the first 11 dates of the Lega Professionisti are also contrasted by the 3 in the entire tournament in 2022 (27 dates) and the 3 in 2021 (25 games). Furthermore, in the last two editions of the Libertadores (2021 and 2022) he has not received a red card (16 matches).

The final of the 2022 Tournament of Champions at Villa Mercedes, San Luis on November 6 was an exception but at the same time a preview. Boca had just been crowned champions of the 2022 Professional League and there was no reason for the team to be so upset in that final with Racing. However, he was racking up red cards until he was short-handed as they lost 2–1 and extra time was played. In total they were seven expulsions: Sebastián Villa, Alan Varela, Luis Advíncula, Carlos Zambrano, Diego González (was on the bench), Frank Fabra and Darío Benedetto.

On the Racing side, there were three reds: John Carbonero, Carlos Alcaraz AND Jonathan Galvan (also substitute). Of the 10 players, eight received amnesty from the Disciplinary Tribunal before the start of the current tournament.

The first one sent off this year was Colombian Villa, on the third round, against Talleres, for a blow to Gastón Benavídez in the face as Boca lost 2-0. Darío Herrera did not see the infringement, but was booked by the VAR , reviewed the action and showed him direct red.

Then, on the fifth round against Vélez, it was Ezekiel Fernandez what he saw the red one after a stomp santiagocastro than the referee Yael Falcon Perez immediately warned. With 10 men, Boca won 2-1.

In the debut of the Copa Libertadores, against Monagas in Venezuela, Boca suffered two red cards and managed to recover one point. In the first half, Bruno Valdez He miscalculated trying to get ahead of Basante and lifted his leg too much until it hit him in the chest when he went hand in hand. Then, with five minutes to go, Facundo Roncagliaalready booked, he cut off a promising advance with his hand, added a second yellow card and went to the locker room.

Last Wednesday, at the Nuevo Gasómetro, Figal saw the red card after being booked for the second time in the match. The first booking had been in the first half, for protesting an infringement Federico Gattoniwhile the second was in the final part after a strong entrance Andres Vombergar.

Almirón seems to have already noticed this situation and will start working on this aspect for the next matches.