Boca Juniors Fury Over Controversial Penalty in Draw vs. Benfica

Controversy in Boca Juniors’ Debut at the Club World Cup

Boca Juniors players, Agustín Marchesín and Miguel Merentiel, expressed their dissatisfaction with the refereeing decisions in the match against Benfica in their debut at the Club World Cup. The match, played at Hard Rock Stadium, ended in a 2-2 draw, leaving a bittersweet taste for the Argentine team. The focus of the controversy was the penalty awarded in favor of the Portuguese team, which, according to Boca players, altered the course of the match. The Argentine team had achieved a 2-0 lead in the first half, with goals from Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia, before the referee signaled the penalty.

I don’t know what the referee saw. I’ve known him for a long time. It doesn’t surprise me either. It didn’t seem like a penalty to me; later, you have to watch it more calmly. But in a game like this, to be called for that penalty is a disgrace. You have to keep going, this is football and that’s how it is.

Agustín Marchesín

Merentiel agreed with his teammate, pointing out that the referee’s decision affected Boca Juniors’ performance in the match.

The penalty somehow affected the match and I think it affected us a bit. They were awarded the penalty at the end of the first half which ruined the match. From inside, personally, it didn’t seem like a penalty to me. The referee is there, he decided it was a penalty and we obeyed the order he gave at that moment.

Miguel Merentiel

The tension between both teams continued in the second half, with the expulsions of Andrea Belotti (Benfica) and Jorge Figal (Boca Juniors) after receiving the red card.

Boca players protested after referee César Ramos’ decision to award a penalty to Benfica following a video review.Outside the field, Hard Rock Stadium vibrated with the presence of 55,274 fans, with a notable majority of Boca Juniors supporters. Thousands of fans, dressed in blue and yellow, created an atmosphere similar to that of La Bombonera in Miami Gardens. Benfica player Ángel Di María acknowledged the pressure exerted by Argentine fans, praising the atmosphere created in the stadium. Boca Juniors will return to action on June 20, facing Bayern Munich at Hard Rock Stadium, in the second match of the group stage.