2023-08-10 09:39:42
Leaning against a wall, cigarette in mouth and hat tightly screwed on his head, Dario admires the magnificent din which agitates the streets of Buenos Aires. “It’s a special day, you can tell,” smiles the 30-something. In four hours, Boca Juniors receives the Nacional in the round of 16 second leg of the Copa Libertadores, the equivalent of the Champions League in South America.
Forced to a draw (0-0) in Montevideo six days earlier, the Argentine club shot down a new card: Edinson Cavani, just landed for 18 months after breaking the contract that bound him to Valencia. The former Uruguayan striker of PSG (2013-2020), for whom he scored 200 goals, may be 36 years old, coming out of a season struggling to stay in La Liga and several years truncated by injuries, his arrival caused a real earthquake on this side of the Rio de la Plata.
“He is one of the most significant signings in the history of the club, measures Diego Estévez, author of the book “Boca Locura”. It is comparable to the transfer of Diego Maradona (1981) or the returns of Martin Palermo (2004), Juan Roman Riquelme (2007) and Carlos Tévez (2015). It is enormous. »
On July 31, the former PSG striker (200 goals between 2013 and 2020) received a huge crowd when setting foot at the airport before being presented in front of 35,000 delirious spectators at the Bombonera , which made him say a few days later that he would have “liked to come sooner” in the Argentine team. “He could have gone to Saudi Arabia or the United States but he chose to come here, that says a lot about him,” Dario exults in front of the legendary stadium.
Around him, the flocked tunics of the number 10 flow like hotcakes. “I sold 200 today,” hallucinates Brandon, a salesman. In the official club store, the relic has been out of stock for days. A glass of Fernet-Coke in hand, Matias is convinced that “Cavani has everything to become an idol of Boca”, recalling that here, “supporters especially like humble and hardworking players, who do not cheat”.
Notes at 150 euros on the black market, the equivalent of the minimum wage
“You can feel the electricity in the air, there is already a special connection between him and the fans”, observes Pablon Ramón, journalist for the sports daily “Olé”, who in recent weeks has devoted his time more frequently to One to the Uruguayan than to the prowess of Lionel Messi at Inter Miami. On the black market, the tickets sell for 150 euros, the equivalent of the minimum wage in the country. “The Cavani tariff”, laughs a socio.
In the heart of the whirlwind of supporters who leap in rhythm and resume chants at full throttle in a street transformed into an open-air nightclub, Lautaro and Lucas have small eyes but big hopes. “We have just traveled 1800 km from Patagonia to come, says the oldest of the two cousins. We did not hesitate. Cavani deserves it because he has the soul of a Bostero (the club’s fan nickname). We feel by his speech that he did not come in early retirement. »
When the two teams entered the field, in a phenomenal atmosphere, Cavani was well established at the forefront of Boca’s 4-4-2, as all the media predicted. Face closed, the Matador is true to himself. He gives voice, presses tirelessly, moves constantly, until slipping to the position of left back several times. He hits wide at the start of the match (9′) just before his team opened the scoring (12′). Nacional equalized on the counter-attack but Boca regained the advantage just after the break, on a strike from Luis Advincula passing between the legs of Cavani (46th).
The latter misses a huge opportunity a quarter of an hour later, a few meters from goal (61st). The Uruguayan received a standing ovation when he left (70′) and his club, after conceding the equaliser, finally qualified on penalties (2-2, 4-2 on pens). An exercise which, the day before, precipitated the elimination of River Plate, the sworn enemy, at the same stage of the competition. Faithful supporter, Pao exults: “Cavani, it’s the best thing that could happen to us. »
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