Four links here, three audio and one written. It's just under a week since River Plate players were attacked with home-made pepper spray by a Boca Juniors barra brava, causing the cancellation of the second half of their Copa Libertadores last sixteen superclásico, and Boca's disqualification from the tournament (as well as first degree burns to four... Continue Reading →
Wire-like intrigue unfolds in La Boca
If you've followed Argentine football for any length of time, you'll be aware that aside from what goes on on the pitch, things off it can be by equal measures fascinating and depressing. Just recently, though, it all seems to have moved onto a different level entirely. The latest developments surrounding Boca Juniors remind me... Continue Reading →
For the 20th episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Dan, Dan and Seba welcome special guest Asli Pelit to the show. Asli's a Turkish TV presenter who was at La Bombonera to see Boca Juniors beat River Plate 2-0 in Sunday's superclásico, and as well as giving us her impressions of that game, she also... Continue Reading →
Violence for export
When the Argentine national team flew to South Africa a week ago today, twenty-two barra bravas from Chacarita Juniors and Boca Juniors were on the same flight, in the economy section. The AFA denied any knowledge of this, but one of them was, in 2009, used as an AFA-approved bodyguard for one of Lionel Messi's... Continue Reading →
2010 Clausura round 15: the fallout, and the last four goals
The goals from the 2-2 draw between Arsenal de Sarandí and Argentinos Juniors are online now at last, and are embedded below for your viewing pleasure. Now I'm finally able to say I've enjoyed a weekend of football action as HEGS author in Buenos Aires, I can also attempt something new to HEGS - you'll... Continue Reading →
Caruso returns to Tigre; Di Zeo will be out by Christmas
Ricardo Caruso Lombardi confirmed on Wednesday night that he'll be Diego Cagna's successor at Tigre, returning to the club whom he took from Primera B into the B Nacional (third to second flight) in 2005. Not such good news from the judiciary system, though: Rafael Di Zeo, the former capo of Boca Juniors' barra brava,... Continue Reading →
Chacarita Juniors promoted
If the AFA thought they had problems with crowd control in the top flight for the last few seasons, they can't have been happy bunnies on Monday. Chacarita Juniors, whose previous spells in Primera A have been most notable for very badly behaved crowds, most infamously (and tragically) when playing Boca Juniors, are back in... Continue Reading →
Boca hooligan banned
Mauro Martín, the current capo of Boca Juniors' barra brava, La Doce, was sentenced on Tuesday to twenty days in jail for his part in a fight between his own barra and that of Vélez Sársfield during Boca's 3-2 away win over the Liniers side on the 23rd April 2006. Martín's full sentence includes twenty days in... Continue Reading →
Boca barra detained, Troglio and Llop say adios
A senior member of Boca Juniors' barra brava, La Doce, was arrested prior to Sunday's match at La Bombonera against Colón, after his name was given to the police in a list of fans to be denied entry to the game. On Monday, meanwhile, the seventh round of matches took two new managerial casualties as... Continue Reading →
Some reading matter
My latest piece for Pitch Invasion looks back on the black weekend Argentine football has just experienced, and explains some of the issues behind the security operations, and what might be considered by the Argentine media in the coming weeks. There's also a really rather good photo (if I say so myself). 'Olé’s front page... Continue Reading →
Hasta El Gol Siempre 