The Boca wibble-wobble
Boca Juniors' wobble continued during a bizarre Copa Libertadores match against Mexicans Atlas on Tuesday, courtesy of what might be the worst miss in the history of football.
To use a footballing cliché, my grandmother, nimble for a 76-year-old but certainly not Premiership material, could have knocked in the chance that Martin Palermo blazed wide. It was a miss that appeared to defy the laws of physics. A yard out, a gaping goal and Palermo sliced it wide. Not just wide, but miles wide. How?
Remember, this is Boca's greatest ever goalscorer. And it was the moment when the game turned in favour of the Mexicans, who were supported by a vast home audience as fervent in their support as any Bombonera crowd.
The game finished 3-1 in Atlas's favour, complicating Boca's movement into the final stages of the Copa. Maradona was in attendance and uncharacteristically quiet â not that he could do much talking with that missile-sized cigar in his mouth.
Known for his dislike of Boca's coach Carlos Ischia, Diego told waiting press: 'It was something that had to happen.' Code for 'I really hope Ischia does so badly that he'll be fired and they'll give me the job.'
Palermo looks down at the ground, hoping it will swallow him up
River's terrace closed down
After the horrific violence that mars every single River Plate game, the AFA have forced River's management to close their terrace for the next two games. But despite the violence, it is a move that has drawn criticism from many corners.
What's to stop the thugs from simply moving to the seating area? And why punish the guys who aren't part of the barra brava but who simply can't afford seats?
Fortunately River Plate's manager Aguilar (see previous post, 'Muppet mastery') doesn't have a clue who the people who cause the violence are. No idea. Zip. Well, as he said in front of the judge, only the jailed Alan Schlenker, his arch enemy Adrian Rousseau and the murdered Gonzalo Acro â the three protagonists of the troubles. But no one else. Once again for the record: MUPPET.
Thank God for Rod, eh?
Amid all the usual chaos, at least rockin' Rod Stewart had some good things to say about Argentinian football. Arriving in Buenos Aires to subject porteños to dank hits and gruff wailing, he told reporters that he would love to see Messi and Tevez at Celtic. He was also presented with one of Maradona's Napoli's shirts which he promised to wear on stage. Oh, sail away Rod.
