The recent Superclasico between Boca Juniors and River Plate has ignited a fierce controversy within Argentine football, with the match ending in a 1-0 victory for Boca. The result was marred by two red cards issued to River Plate players by referee Nicolás Ramírez, leading to accusations of inconsistency and bias. The first expulsion occurred just ten minutes into the game while the score was level, while the second came near the end for an infraction identical to one that had previously resulted only in a yellow card for a Boca player.
Reactions from the captains of both clubs highlighted the deepening rift. Leandro Paredes, captain of Boca Juniors, attempted to downplay the incident by stating that his team won because they were more intelligent, noting that such drama is typical of the Superclasico. Conversely, Nicolás Otamendi, captain of River Plate, expressed outrage at the Bombonera stadium, claiming that Argentine football is being ruined and that competition is no longer possible. He suggested that for future tournaments, authorities might as well designate the champion directly, adding that his team would not participate under such conditions.
These comments signal a potentially irreparable fracture within the historic group of Argentina's national team, which won the World Cup in Qatar, with criticism now directed at the leadership of the Argentine Football Federation (AFA). Local media have amplified the outrage, with the influential daily Clarín headlining the story as a scandal where Boca allegedly won with the help of VAR and the referee. The controversy has also reached the political sphere; Luis Caputo, Argentina's Finance Minister and a River Plate fan, posted on social media that modern football reflects the state of politics before Javier Milei's arrival. However, President Milei, a known Boca Juniors supporter, did not engage with or endorse Caputo's statement.
At the center of the storm is AFA president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia, who appears unaffected by the backlash despite long-standing accusations of interfering in local league results. Tapia is currently under judicial investigation for tax evasion and money laundering involving undeclared proceeds from the Federation.
Sources: ANSA Mondo.