Under 23 Olympic Pre-Olympic: what does Valentín Barco play?

What does it sound – or what – does it sound like? Colo Ship? Valentine’s Day boat has gone from ostracism to Mouth to execute the termination clause of 10 million euros to become a strengthening of the Brighton of England for the current season of premier league. He’s inside at the moment Venezuelawhere is the Pre-Olympic and in which the National Under 23 team what a guide Javier Mascherano debuted with a 1-1 against Paraguay.

In that match, Barco started. Mascherano positioned him as a left attacker, the same role in which he debuted – at 16 – in Boca’s Primera with Miguel Angelo Russo in 2021. The Colo arrived at Xeneize at the age of nine and had a career as a left-back that was nothing like the explosion that catapulted him into the Premier League, with a remarkable performance as a midfielder.

Barco’s performance in the first pre-Olympic match is not linked to the rebirth of the footballer, with the characteristics that made him a key piece Jorge Almironthe coach with whom Colo reappeared on the radar.

“To Valentino we think of it more as a side than a steering wheel. We believe that in midfield we are well covered, but this does not mean that there are matches in which we can use him there,” she anticipated. They mask on the eve of the tournament, when he was still a Boca player. He little boss It placed him in that position in the Under 20 World Cup which took place in our country and his performance was not the best.

Brighton didn’t take Barco to put it “of three”. Although it is the role he has worked in since youth, the best version of him is offensive, as a marker from behind and with an offensive vocation from the left: he can overpower and send crosses or enter the area with discretion and danger for his rivals. He has a dribbler, he could easily play with the number 10 on his back.

With these claims, Barco was on top of the ball against Palmeiras in the last Copa Libertadores he played with Boca. He could support a canchereada like that – useless, without sporting benefits – because he was a fundamental piece within the team.

Completely the opposite of what happened in Venezuela against Paraguay. In fact, he was even seen out of contact with the ball. He was unable to stop him 30 seconds into the match when Juan Sforza touched him from the center and the Brighton player was unable to catch it, he retreated onto the pitch and covered the position with difficulty.

It can happen to anyone, of course. But Barco was far from the best version of him. A few minutes later, he loses the ball and gives up a counterattack with which Paraguay risks reaching Leandro Brey’s goal. When the danger dissipated, Nicolás Valentini took it upon himself to ask him – with a single shout – for greater commitmentattention and attitude, given that after losing the ball he found himself acting as a spectator, observing the development of the game.

Barco’s performance in his “natural” position, but outside the one that best suits him, is perhaps one of the portions that can explain the general performance of a Selected from which much more was expected than a draw at the hour mark. Under 23 by Mascherano saved the potatoes about the end.

Perhaps among the issues that the Argentine team will have to reconsider ahead of their next match against Peru on Wednesday is Barco’s position. The place on the pitch where Mascherano can bring out his best. In the same way as the imperative assessment of the location of the Claudio Echeverri, Federico Redondo or Luciano Gondou: substitutes or starters?

In fact, the combination of Barco with the little devil He had the freshness that the national team did not show until the arrival of the player who will continue another season at River. That association occurred from midfield forward, with Colo loose and not anchored to the defense.

What if for Mascherano the Colo Barco was “3”? Then it will be the player who will have to make the effort. All you have to do is resort to memory gymnastics. His career, between the debut with Russo and the explosion with Almirón, had a lot of his will.

Then he was stuck in the Reserve without any chance in the First and then even without a place in the selective. He dropped to the Third, very far from the First team. For now, in the warm city of Puerto Cabello, Barco once again took refuge in his unconditional support: the family – mom, dad and sister – arrived after the debut match. Also his girlfriend Yaz Jaureguy. “Family, thank you for always being there”the footballer posted while preparing for the match against Peru, looking for his best version.

As Sub 23 continues

The next match against the Peruvian team will be played on Wednesday at 8pm (Argentina time) and then those led by Javier Mascherano will have a match standing by free date and will resume the competition on day 4 against Chile (Tuesday at 8pm) and will complete the first round on February 2 against Uruguay, at the same time.

If the Under 23s finish the qualifying round of Group B in first or second position in the ranking, they will qualify for the final phase, in which they will face each other again and the best two will participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. .