Argentina started the Tokyo Olympics off with a loss and see themselves having to get a good result against both Egypt and Spain.
Fernando Batista could not have asked for a worse start to the match. Australia took the lead after just 13 minutes after some poor marking and defending by the two time champions.
A low pass sent into the penalty area went passed the Argentine back line and fell to Lachlan Wales as he would score to give Australia the 1-0 lead. It was a lackluster performance by Argentina with little to no cohesiveness and shape throughout the match.
Francisco Ortega was sent off for Batista’s team after receiving two yellow cards, the second being a little harsh by the referee. Ortega, who was already on a yellow, was given a red after a shove inside the penalty area as a corner kick was about to be taken.
The second saw half saw Australia score their second goal, a brilliant strike by Marco Tilio from the edge of the penalty area beat Ledesma who was in goal. Poor marking on the edge of the area by Argentina as Tilio was unmarked for the goal.
Batista fielded the following eleven for the match:
Ledesma De La Fuente Perez Medina Ortega Colombatto Vera Valenzuela Mac Allister Barco Gaich
The other match in Group C saw Spain draw 0-0 vs. Egypt. Argentina’s next match will be against Egypt on Sunday. Here are the current standings:
Australia: 3 points Spain: 1 point Egypt: 1 point Argentina: 0 points
Up against soccer powerhouse Argentina, it’s Australia who puts home the first goal of the game 👀
Boca Juniors were clearly affected by the refereeing, both in the 1st leg and in the 2nd leg against Atletico Mineiro in the Copa Libertadores. The Argentine club were eventually eliminated on penalties. After the game, Boca players, coaching staff, and directors ended up in a brutal fight against the Brazilian police, inside the changing rooms.
The match referee, Esteban Ostojich, who also refereed the Copa America final between Argentina and Brazil, called a non-existent offside on Diego González of Boca, after it was called by VAR.
It would have been 1-0 for Boca in Brazil, which would have then forced Atletico Mineiro to score two goals to qualify for the next round. After the VAR referees took a couple of minutes to make a decision, they decided to call the main referee to check the play, who finally called off a legitimate goal.
However, the same thing happened in the first leg. At La Bombonera, the referee, who was later suspended along with the VAR assistants by CONMEBOL, called a non-existent foul on a goal disallowed for Boca. Here are the two wrongly disallowed goals of Boca Juniors vs. Atletico Mineiro, in the first leg and the second leg:
What happened next, was expected to happen. Boca players, coaching staff, and directors ended up in a brutal fight against the Brazilian police inside the changing rooms. According to Boca, the Brazilian police started the fight by throwing tear gas at the players. There, everything exploded:
Sérgio Coelho, president of Mineiro, throwing water bottles at Boca players amid the incidents in the locker room corridors:
Sérgio Coelho, presidente de Mineiro, lanzó botellas de agua contra los jugadores de Boca en medio de los incidentes en los pasillos de los vestuarios (video de @otempo). #ESPNpic.twitter.com/JZ0MTEAKeu
Raúl Cascini, Intercontinental champion with Boca as a player in 2003, today a member of the board of directors, enraged against the Brazilian police. Especially against police officer number 145 who, according to versions, had said something to Cascini for him to react that way:
After the conflicts, the police wanted to arrest two Boca players, Carlos Zambrano and Sebastián Villa, a number that later rose to eight.
Here, the members of Boca telling the Brazilian police that either they were “all leaving, or no one,” making it clear they will remain all together regardless of the circumstances:
The vice president and legendary former Boca player, Juan Román Riquelme, spoke with TyC Sports and destroyed CONMEBOL. This is what he had to say:
“This was never seen. A team that wins both games and is out! This is shameful. They did not let us advance.
“When you score two goals and they don’t want to allow them, nothing can be done.
“If they throw tear gas in your face, would you not defend yourself? Now they want to arrest one of our players. In Brazil it is always like this. The President of Mineiro threw bottles at us!”
In addition, Riquelme also pointed out what happened just a week ago in the match between Cerro Porteño and Fluminense, where the VAR assistants did not take into account a Brazilian player in the goal review, and disallowed a legitim goal for the Paraguayans.
Here, the VAR audios of the mistakenly disallowed goal of Cerro Porteño vs. Fluminense:
In addition, this Wednesday evening Boca Juniors issued a very harsh statement based on what happened, which President Jorge Amor Ameal signed. Below, some of the harshest parts:
“What happened marks an unprecedented event, as it is the only case whereby winning the two games in the series a club is eliminated from the competition.
“Once again we have been harmed by decisions that have little to do with sports and a lot to do with the arbitrary management of a competition that does not deserve it.”
Argentina will look for a dream start at the football tournament at the 2020 Olympic games.
Fernando Batista’s team will look to put the less than impressive 2016 showing behind them in their opening match on Thursday. The two time gold medal champions at the Olympic games were eliminated in the group stages five years ago as they will want to try and make the knockout stages this time around.
Batista’s team are in Group C alongside Egypt, Spain and Australia. While Spain are seen as one of the favorites to win the gold medal, Argentina have enough talent win it themselves.
It wouldn’t be the first time Argentina play Australia in the group stages as both teams clashed in 2008 when Argentina went on to win the tournament. It was a goal by Ezequiel Lavezzi who gave Argentina the 1-0 win that night in Shanghai.
The stadium for Thursday’s match could bring back some bad memories for long time Argentina fans. The match will be played at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo which was also the venue for Argentina’s infamous 1-0 loss vs. England at the 2002 World Cup.
Per a report by TyC Sports, Batista is rumored to go with the following XI:
Jeremías Ledesma; Hernán De La Fuente, Nehuén Pérez, Facundo Medina, Francisco Ortega; Fausto Vera, Santiago Colombatto; Martín Payero, Alexis Mac Allister, Esequiel Barco; Adolfo Gaich
According to the Spanish and the English media, FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Cristian Romero of Atalanta.
Per reports by Mundo Deportivo in Spain, FC Barcelona is looking to reinforce their defensive line this summer, and Romero would be one of the candidates.
Per reports by London Football in England, Tottenham Hotspurs’ Managing Director, Fabio Paratici, had already started conversations with Atalanta to sign Romero.
Atalanta CEO, Luca Percassi, spoke today with the press and acknowledged that many clubs expressed their desire in signing the Argentine defender during this transfer market. On the other hand, Percassi settled his aspiration to retain Romero at Atalanta:
“It is obvious that Cristian had an extraordinary season; he was awarded as the best defender of Serie A. The interest is normal. The principle we have followed in recent years is that transfers should strengthen us, not weaken us. This is our idea.”
Although the tough stance of the Atalanta CEO may be a negotiation strategy, the truth is that the club from Bergamo is willing to sell the 23-year-old for a high price.
Cristian Romero was signed on loan last year from Juventus. Recently, Atalanta exercised his definitive purchase option for an amount close to €20 million. Even though his market value is €35 million according to the specialized portal “Transfermarkt”, it is estimated that Atalanta will not let him out for less than €60 million.
The national team’s defender had an amazing season with Atalanta, playing 38 matches and being a key player in the team’s defensive structure. In addition, he won the Copa America with Argentina, playing at a great level, and being a starter in the final vs. Brazil.
Erik Lamela is reportedly close to joining Sevilla from Tottenham in a swap deal.
Per a tweet by transfer news journalist Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham and Sevilla are finalizing a deal which would see Lamela join Sevilla in exchange for Bryan Gil. In addition, Sevilla would receive 25 million plus add ons.
Already 29 years of age, should Lamela join Sevilla, he would play alongside Argentina Copa America winners Marcos Acuña and Alejandro “Papu” Gómez in addition to Lucas Ocampos.
Lamela joined Tottenham back in 2013 from Roma and has taken part in over 150 league matches while also winning last season’s Premier League Goal of the Season with a rabona vs. Arsenal.
EXCL. Tottenham and Sevilla are finalizing a new swap deal: Erik Lamela to Sevilla, Bryan Gil to Spurs. Agreement set to be reached on permanent deal and here we go soon! ⚪️ #THFC
Sevilla will also receive €25m + add ons included as part of the deal. 🇪🇸 #Sevilla
