The spotlight on Milton Delgado’s tackle that left Boca with ten men against Independiente del Valle

Boca Juniors had a difficult match against Independiente del Valle at the Bombonera (valid for the round of 32 of the Copa Sudamericana) when it seemed to have the game under control and around the quarter-hour mark of the second half. A poor control by Milton Delgado led to him losing the ball and committing a very harsh infraction against Renato Ibarra that led to his immediate expulsion.

Xeneize was 1-0 ahead (due to Edinson Cavani’s goal in the first half) and the Ecuadorians were not creating any danger, but this play in which Uruguayan referee Andrés Matonte did not hesitate caused difficulties for the local team. Delgado’s ball bounced when he received it near the center circle and Ibarra anticipated him. In his attempt to recover it or at least stop the attack of the Independiente del Valle striker, the young Boca player hit his rival’s right ankle with the sole of his right boot.

This foul was classified as a direct red card due to the distance between the point of contact with the opponent’s leg and the blocks of Boca’s number 43. Although the 19-year-old’s teammates went to the referee’s position to berate him and claim that his decision had been excessive and hasty, Delgado knew that he had made a mistake and that he had used excessive force.

The atmosphere at La Bombonera was heated because the fans were infected by the Boca players who complained about the expulsion. The insults against the referee on duty and Conmebol were not long in coming (they had already been heard when Cavani’s goal was disallowed for an offside position that did not exist). On top of that, a few minutes later, the game resumed and there was a clash between Lautaro Blanco and Renato Ibarra himself, who gave him a subtle push that caused the Boca left back to fall exaggeratedly. Once again the local team’s leaders, including Cristian Lema and Marcos Rojo, went to face Matonte, who calmed them down by reminding them that he was in permanent contact with the VAR. The replays showed that the Ecuadorian had barely touched his rival.

From that moment on, Diego Martínez had to restructure his formation: Jabes Saralegui and Pol Fernández took the middle, while Miguel Merentiel (who was soon replaced by Mauricio Benítez) sacrificed himself on the right wing.