What represented a very special occasion for the family of River Platecon the farewell of Marcelo Gallardo of his fans in the Monumental, almost ended up ruined by the arbitration of Fernando Echenique in the defeat of the Millionaire by 2 to 1 against Rosario Central, for the Professional League. The judge ended up giving a 15-minute discount on driving, at least oscillating, which climaxed in the incident with Juanfer Quintero. The Colombian protested demanding a non-sanctioned penalty from Enzo Pérez in the discount (which could have been the opportunity for the 2-2), and, when trying to get away from the claims, Echenique raised an arm and hit the link’s face who, angry, pushed him. Immediately afterwards, the authority of the meeting expelled him, giving rise to a chant that thundered throughout the Antonio Vespucio Liberti stadium.
Chiqui Tapia button, Chiqui Tapia button, you are a fan of Boca, the fucking mother who gave birth to you”, was heard, clearly, from all the stands. The annoyance of the fans of the Band with the leadership of the AFA (anger that includes the Board of Directors, the technical staff and the squad) has a long history, since that sentence of the “high guard” that Gallardo inaugurated after the enthronement de Tapia, who arrived at the Viamonte street armchair with Central Tents as a springboard, but who never really hid his sympathy for Xeneize.
The doubts increased in 2022, with several rulings that were less controversial, which led, for example, to Jorge Britopresident of River Plate, expressed his disagreement in statements to the F12 program, ESPN. There, she pointed against the questioned Federico BeligoyNational Director of Arbitration and at the same time Secretary General of the Argentine Association of Arbitrators.
“It seems good to me that he defends the referees, but today he clearly has an incompatibility of functions having that position and at the same time being the one who selects the arbitrators”, was one of his criticisms. “It is never clear when a referee is stopped for errors or rested. We ask the AFA for more clarity in the selection of referees and their sanctions”, he added.
Beyond the Echenique case, which ended up generating the explosion of the stands, there were several sanctions that generated discomfort in Núñez. From the uncollected hand inside the area by Fernando Espinoza in the elimination against Patronato for the Argentine Cup to Barreto’s penalty against Borja in the win against Independiente in Avellaneda. In Fernando Rapallini not even the VAR noticed it. However, despite the error, the judge was “rewarded” by driving Racing-Boca, where he again made a notorious mistake by not sanctioning a shot from 12 steps by the hand of Jonathan Gómez. Just then he was “punished” with a rest date.
There is one conclusive fact, more so for a team that attacks voraciously like Gallardo’s River: They have not been charged a penalty at the local level since May, on the occasion of the 2-1 victory against Platense at the Monumental. That time, Julián Álvarez translated into a goal.
There are those who suspect inside the Monumental that some differences of opinion with Chiqui Tapia may have some connection with the rulings. That concern had already been transferred to popular and stalls of the Monumental. On September 4, when the Millionaire defeated Barracas Central 2-0, the head of the entity that governs Argentine soccer was able to verify it. At 25 minutes into the first half, when the referee Germán Delfino was slow to validate Nicolás de la Cruz’s goal while it was being reviewed by the VAR, the fans had already worn their throats with the “Chiqui Tapia button”.
The message was not lost on the AFA, which feared a rebound effect, given that the annoyance is widespread in most clubs, due to arbitration, the constant controversy with the VAR, its failed implementation, the lack of publication of the audios with the human-technology dialogues and even the uncertainty with the formats of the tournaments (it is enough to remember that it is not known how the First Division will be played in 2023 and that they tried to eliminate the relegations with the contest in full dispute and the approved regulation).
River’s anger could have a consequence that is deeply disturbing in Viamonte: the leadership is thinking of withdrawing Rodolfo D’Onofrio as a representative before the AFA and somehow leave it without an ambassador…
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