The managers at Argentina’s two biggest clubs have some complication selection issues going into this week’s Copa Sudamericana return legs. Boca Juniors, who won the first leg of their tie against Sao Paulo 2-1 but conceded a last minute away goal which will make for very tricky business in Morumbí on Wednesday night, have seen striker Rodrigo Palacio struck down by injury, and will thus be using a previously untested strike partnership.
Hardly one without goalscoring pedigree, it must be said. The two who will be sent out by Miguel Angel Russo - Martín Palermo is one of the highest scorers in the history of both his club and the Argentine league, and Mauro Boselli, with eleven goals for Boca in just 1,431 minutes of play – but still untested together as starters. With Sao Paulo having had a ridiculously good defensive run of late (conceding 8 goals in nearly 30 matches of the Brazilian championship thus far), it’s going to be a baptism of fire for the new duo.
River manager Daniel Passarella, meanwhile, has a dilemma at the other end. Since bringing in Juan Pablo Carrizo in goal for the last two matches, the Lazio loanee has come in for a lot of stick from fans and critics, conceding a long-range winner in Rio against Botafogo (the return is on Thursday in the Monumental) and letting in four away to Tigre on Sunday. Juan Ojeda was doing a sterling job before Carrizo’s return, so which option does Passarella take now? We shall see.
Racing manager Gustavo Costas, meanwhile, has no such concerns for the moment, having been assured by club president Fernando De Tomaso that he has the board’s full support in the wake of recent reported disagreements between the two men after De Tomaso apparently tried to contact former Huracán boss Antonio Mohamed to replace Costas. But with things now seemingly cleared up, Costas is ready to build on his side’s recent good run of form.
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There was certainly nothing Carrizo could have done about Botafogo’s winner in the first leg – it was a brilliantly taken goaland I can’t imagine the miniscule Ojeda would have gotten any nearer to it. That said, Carrizo looked less sharp against Tigre. I’d prefer to see Ojeda given another chance, since he’s going to have to play in these sorts of games in the Libertadores.