Marcos Rojo Leads Boca Juniors Through Tough Times After Elimination from League Cup

Marcos Rojo, captain of Boca Juniors (Photo: Mario Sar)

It was not just another game for Marcos Rojo. His past in Estudiantes de La Plata caused him to be whistled and insulted by some fans. In addition, his temperament also led him to have several clashes with rivals from Pincha, such as the case of Fernando Zuqui with whom he once again had an argument in the last match, which ended with a defeat on penalties for Boca Juniors and elimination in the semifinals. of the League Cup.

The next day, and on the first of the two days off that Diego Martínez gave the squad, the Xeneize defender and captain shared a message via social networks. He was the first footballer to speak out after the elimination, since until now only the coach and the club president, Juan Román Riquelme, had spoken at a press conference.

“Always together in everything! We are on the right track. This continues with humility and work. Let’s go for more,” was the message seen on his Instagram account, where he has more than 4 million followers. To the publication he added a photo with the entire group of teammates hugging after carrying out the warm-up prior to the match against Pincha at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Córdoba.

Marcos Rojo’s post after Boca’s elimination against Estudiantes from the La Liga Cup (Instagram)

Boca Juniors has suffered two hard blows in the last week. After winning the Superclásico against River Plate, which placed them in this semifinal against Estudiantes, Xeneize fell by a landslide in Fortaleza for the Copa Sudamericana and added this painful elimination, which Diego Martínez described as “unfair.”

After a great first half, with absolute dominance and in which they took advantage at half-time due to Miguel Merentiel’s goal, but there could have been two or three more if the sticks or the rejections of the line did not appear, Boca Juniors gave in took center stage and Estudiantes took advantage of an unusual penalty by Cristian Lema, after kicking Tiago Palacios in the head. The central defender was sent off and Edwin Cetré changed the maximum penalty into a goal.

The semifinal had to be decided by penalties and there the one who dressed as a hero was Pincha’s goalkeeper, Matías Mansilla, who stopped two shots (Cavani and Figal) and took advantage of the shot that hit the Merentiel crossbar. Figal’s goal and Chiquito Romero’s save against Cetré were not enough because Eros Mancuso, Guido Carrillo and Mauro Méndez did convert and gave their team the victory and qualification to the final.

Now, Boca Juniors must focus its sights on the Copa Sudamericana where next Wednesday, May 8, it will visit Sportivo Trinidense in Paraguay, in a key duel where it will seek to take off the five points that Fortaleza has at the top. Xeneize will have to add three and hope that the Brazilians lose or draw in Bolivia against Nacional Potosí.

The next day, the penultimate one, Boca will host Fortaleza while the Bolivians will be home again, this time against Sportivo Trinidense. Meanwhile, on the last date, El Xeneize will play in La Bombonera against Nacional Potosí and Fortaleza will receive the Paraguayan team.

It is worth remembering that the first in each zone will advance directly to the round of 16, while the second in the round of 16 will face a third from the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.

2024-05-02 04:37:00
#Marcos #Rojo #Boca #footballer #express #elimination #penalties #Estudiantes #post #networks