Almirón’s challenge with Medina of 5: “He can play there”

The focus of the soccer practice that this Friday did Jorge Almiron He was in the ultra-offensive team he would use against Belgrano. But also in the unprecedented midfield, above all because tried to Christian Medina of 5 instead of those suspended Alan Varela y Equi Fernandezand above -according to the DT- of Esteban Rolon. However, It is not a position that the 20-year-old does not know, quite the opposite…

“You can play there. As a child he was a player who already offered all these variants. Then he stood out in all of the lower leagues and all the technicians have tested him ”, said Hugo Perottia former winger who played with Diego and who in 2012, together with Horacio García and Diego Mazzilli, saw the kid break it at the Fortín de Moreno and took him to the Xeneize quarry, where When he arrived he tried his hand at forward!

El Mono is not wrong with Marquinhos, a nickname he was given because of his resemblance to the Brazilian player. With few less than 12 years, Medina played as a midfielder on the right, on the left and in almost all positions in the middle. And not only that, the older ones were already eyeing him for his deployment, his technique and for being seasoned.

At that time, and later also in the Inferior, He played more as a hitch than as a brand midfielder. It was at that moment that he joined the Under 17 team that won the South American Cup and played a World Cup in Brazil; and when also he made a goal of rabona! to River with the 10 on the back.

“It has been adapted to all kinds of systems. A very versatile player and adaptable to any game scheme ”, said Perotti, who warned that a lot will have to do with the needs of the DT with Cristian, who on Wednesday he suffered the violent robbery of his truck.

“It depends on Almirón. If you need a central midfielder, with a good game and dynamics, Medina can give it to you. Now, if you need a more flintstone, fixed midfielder that doesn’t have much mobility, I don’t know if Medina can give it to you,” he explained.

Medina, one of the youngest of the new litter of youth players despite already having 94 PJ, appeared in the Primera de Boca in 2021 (he made his debut on 2/14 in a 2-2 win with GELP), led by Miguel Russoy his name began to gain strength from the MVA, the trio of flyers he formed with Alan Varela y Augustine Almond.

Despite that, con Sebastian Battaglia and with Hugo Ibarra his performance was declining and little by little it lost its place, until now it began to take center stage again: went from being an important replacement that asked for ownership to earning the position due to the low levels of Juan Ramirez and of Oscar Romero. His presence in the 11 was strengthened with the arrival of Almirón, who started him at the Monumental and It was one of the acceptable points of the loose role of Boca.

“I think he has the conditions to be a starter but it will depend on Almirón’s decision. And where else consider where Medina can give him. That’s why, perhaps, I think that he can perform on the right, on the left, being one more attacking midfielder and he sees it differently”warned Perotti, who between 1977 and 1974 played 151 games for Boca (24 goals) and won two titles, one of them together with Maradona.

And Almirón’s decision is this unprecedented position for Medina (He has a link until December 2026), who will have Payero and Óscar at his sides, two who know what it is to play as a hook. Although the boy played some matches in that position, This time it will be the first time that he will be the team’s midfielder, which will be Boca’s 5.

Sergio Romero; Marcelo Weigandt, Facundo Roncaglia, Nicolás Figal, Frank Fabra; Martin Payero, Cristian Medina, Oscar Romero; Norberto Briasco, Darío Benedetto and Sebastián Villa.