😓 Tensions rise at Boca: Rojo, Cavani, Palacios and Gago in the spotlight | OneFootball

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

No one is safe at Boca Juniors, after the defeat against River Plate at the Monumental.

The Superclásico was too important, a key objective for Xeneize, in a season where they are not playing in the Copa Libertadores and are forced to fight for the local title.

Although Fernando Gago's team managed to recover from the blow of elimination against Alianza Lima in the Libertadores preliminary phase, leading Zone A of the Apertura and securing their place in the defining key, this defeat once again sowed serious doubts about the entire season.

Criticisms rain down on the referents and the coach

In the midst of this heated climate, the Boca fans distributed harsh criticisms to the captains and main referents of the squad, as well as the coach.

But not only for losing the Superclásico, but also for statements or attitudes afterwards.

Marcos Rojo was pointed out for his post-match statements: "We don't owe anything to the people" he said.

For the Boca fans, very unfortunate statements after the fall at the Monumental, in a match where Boca showed very little, beyond some moments of the second half.

Criticisms of Gago also focused on the defensive lineup he employed, after losing Edinson Cavani to a muscle injury and Milton Giménez to a sprained ankle.

The coach decided to place Miguel Merentiel as the only striker, while lining up a line of five defenders.

But his post-match statements also caused anger: "I liked the second half, we took them to a low position. We had clear chances to tie it" said the coach, with a worrying lack of self-criticism for many.

For his part, Cavani, as mentioned, did not even play the match, but also exposed himself, innocently, to a wave of criticism and widespread outrage over a post on his social media.

The Uruguayan striker echoed a vaccination awareness campaign, a commendable initiative. But the responses were all from outraged Boca fans: "It's not the time".

Finally, it is also worth mentioning the controversy generated with Carlos Palacios. He did not have a good game at the Monumental, like almost all of Boca, but beyond the criticisms for his football performance, this Monday it was learned that the player traveled to Chile and that was also a cause for unrest among the fans.

Gago gave the squad a free Monday and Palacios decided to travel to his country, as he had done on another occasion. That time, he had trouble returning and missed a practice, so afterwards, as punishment, he was left out of the match against Newell's, which Xeneize ended up losing.

📸 ALEJANDRO PAGNI - AFP or licensors