Everything his father had told him, everything he had observed as a spectator on several visits to that football temple, this Sunday Ander Herrera He lived it from the green grass. He fulfilled his dream of playing with Boca Juniors. You already know what it feels like to play in the Bombonera. Of course, the Basque’s first time running after the ball in that special stadium had too many difficulties and he ended up involved in controversy.
After the best transfer market since Juan Román Riquelme is president (they are still managing the return of Leandro Paredes) and the debut with a rout in the Argentine Cup against a more than modest rival like Argentino de Monte Maíz, expectations had been raised for this cross with Argentinos Juniors in the Bombonera for the first day of the Apertura Tournament. It was known that complications would increase. What he didn’t imagine was that the game would cost Boca so much. And Ander Herrera too…
Boca did not function. Argentinos surprised him from the start, covering the midfield with several men and pressing him high up. In this way, the La Paternal team had already nailed a header from Tomás Molina on the crossbar after 45 seconds and before 15 minutes had already demanded goalkeeper Leandro Brey. Later, although Argentinos’ intensity dropped, Boca never managed to be the protagonist.
Ander Herrera did not have the best debut with Boca Juniors
Ander Herrera’s production walked hand in hand with the collective responses. He felt the development was difficult and was unable to impose his hierarchy, in a midfield that he shared with the youth Camilo Rey Domenech. His best participation ended up being a first-class pass that left Frank Fabra well positioned. And period. This time the Basque was talked about for another situation…
The thing is that Ander, before the break, dropped to the ground to retrieve a ball, but after touching it he left his leg up, too high, and ended up kicking Alan Lescano. It was, without a doubt, for a red card. The referee only whistled the foul. And the VAR did not even call him to review the action. The weight of Boca and La Bombonera saved Herrera from expulsion.
The former Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United and PSG, among other teams, played 65 minutes and was replaced by Rodrigo Battaglia, one of the reinforcements who made his debut when entering the second half, like Alan Velasco. There was no official medical report from Boca, but it emerged that Ander Herrera (35 years old) felt some physical discomfort. Two other experienced players such as Luis Advíncula (34) and Marcos Rojo (34) also did not complete the match.
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Fernando Gago relativized these issues and also Boca’s performance. “It’s the first game. We’re going to pick up the pace,” he said. And he rounded off: “I need everyone to understand the team we want to be.”
