The Golden Nuggets 2010/11 - Argentinian Apertura

By Sports Magician

The top European leagues are forever dominated by the same select few year in and year out. The chance for clubs without immense financial clout to contend for league titles is non-existent, but the nature of the economy in Argentina over recent years has meant that title winners have changed hands consistently. The ‘big’ clubs in Argentina are in no greater financial position than the lesser lights, and the key to success lies in a strong youth policy allied with shrewd veteran acquisitions. The Argentinian football year is split into two championships - Apertura (Opening) and Clausura (Closing). The main reason for the introduction of the split of two 19 game championships, rather than one 38 game season, was in large part due to the continued and mass exodus of Argentine players to European club football. Clubs would start the season with one team, and sometimes see more than half of that team gone by its conclusion.

The split has meant we are more likely to see unexpected champions and makes for an exciting campaign in which a fast start is nearly always essential. The last eight titles have been won by different teams! Argentinos Juniors, Banfield, Velez Sarsfield, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Lanus, San Lorenzo and Estudiantes have all tasted success in either the Apertura or Clausura since the 2006/07 season.

The 2010 Apertura begins in early August and ends in December. The Golden Nuggets have identified two sides that could well be set for strong campaigns, one a usual suspect and the other hoping to continue the streak of diverse champions.

BOCA JUNIORS

Ever since Boca won the 2008 Apertura the most supported club side in Argentina has known nothing but controversy and instability on and off the pitch. Finally, stability reigns. Claudio Borghi, the man who led Argentinos Juniors to their recent Clausura success, has taken over at La Bombonera and has quietly been rebuilding a side that seemed to have grown tired of each other’s company. Rumours of cliques inside the Boca ranks had been circulated for the best part of a year and the breakdown in off-field relationships was finally being played out on the pitch. A lot has now changed and the side has been given a brand new facelift.

Boca have a new goalkeeper in Cristian Luchetti (signed from Banfield) who looks set to provide some assurance as number one that has been sorely lacking in recent campaigns. Borghi has already made his intentions clear, Boca will play 3-4-1-2, with the one between midfield and attack expected to be…Juan Roman Riquelme. Riquelme is out of contract and is flirting with sides in Spain, Italy and England, and negotiations over his continued stay have been protracted to say the least. Riquelme has been quoted as stating that he is very impressed with Boca’s new arrivals and it’s clear he wants to be a part of Boca’s future. Borghi has emphasised how important it is to his team set-up for Riquelme to be the enganche (playmaker), but plans are already in place should he not remain at the club - with the arrival of Damian Escudero from Villarreal (a player both at home on the left and in a central attacking midfield position) and the development of youngster Marcelo Canete.

At the back, two of the defensive three are new arrivals, Juan Insaurralde (the Marco Matterazzi of Argentine football - despised by opposition players and fans for his borderline tactics) and Cristian Cellay (signed from Apertura favourites Estudiantes). The midfield looks sure to be Boca’s strength, with Gary Medel, who was an integral part of Chile’s World Cup side, and the return from injury of Sebastian Battaglia (who is close to becoming the most decorated Boca Juniors player in the history of the club) set to be the two pillars in front of the defence. Upfront Martin Palermo is expected to continue as the club’s number nine, having become the leading goalscorer in Boca Juniors history before the World Cup. Boca have lost the services of the wonderful Nicolas Gaitan - who has moved to Benfica - but already have an able replacement in Pablo Mouche. Lucas Viatri also remains at the club and is the perfect understudy to Palermo and has consistently led the line well when Palermo has been absent through injury. Sergio Araujo may also start to see more action during the Apertura and can provide the spark that Gaitan has carried for the past year.

With Borghi at the helm, Boca are finally being put back together and a side that was noted for its team ethic not long ago, is being reformed with that vision in mind. Boca have been ill-disciplined and personal agendas overtook the greater needs of the team over the past year, but a very different Boca Juniors is what we should expect to see from August onwards, with a new coach and a fresh start.

RACING CLUB

La Academia (The Academy) haven’t won an Argentine league title since the 2001 Apertura but they appear overpriced for a run at this year’s Apertura. If Boca have been a club in chaos over the past year, Racing Club have been the definition of a club in crisis for a decade. Since 2000 they have had 21 managerial changes! Before the Clausura Racing Club made a number of high profile signings that they believed would enable the club to have a strong campaign, as well as ensuring they were not sucked further into relegation trouble (relegation in Argentina is a complicated matter, the average points per game over three campaigns determining who goes down). The team did not immediately gel and Claudio Vivas was sacked in February after three straight defeats. Miguel Angel Russo took over, a very accomplished coach, and he quickly helped revive Racing’s fortunes to steer them clear of any relegation worries. Racing finished the Clausura in 8th place, 12 points adrift of the winners - Argentinos Juniors.

Racing were 6/2/1 (wins/losses/draws) in their last nine games of the Clausura and the side they expected so much from at the beginning of the campaign looked to finally be moulding itself into a credible team. Gabriel Hauche and Claudio Bieler scored nine goals between them in their first campaign together and a lot more was expected, but Bieler in particular, looked to be getting to grips with the Argentine league (after spells in Ecuador and Chile). Incidentally, Bieler is in the process of applying for naturalization so that he can be eligible for international duty for Ecuador.

Claudio Yacob remains the heart of the side; the 22 year old midfielder took over the captaincy two years ago, and was a key cog in the Argentina side that won the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup. He along with Gabriel Mercado (who recently joined Estudiantes) were the only young talents Racing were able to keep a hold of after that tournament as the vultures feasted on the clubs financial struggles by prising away Sergio Romero (now Argentina’s number one), Matias Sanchez (who went on to win the 2009 Copa Libertadores with Estudiantes) and Maxi Moralez (who is now back in Argentina with Velez, via a disappointing time in Russia).

Had La Academia been able to keep a hold of all five players at that time they may well have gone on to provide Racing with wonderful success for a couple of years before inevitable departures to Europe. However, the club was so badly mis-managed and sinking in debt, that Racing were not even able to prosper financially from the sales as the majority percentage rights of those players were owned by outside parties and agency groups.

In defence, Racing are keen to extend the loan of Mathias Cahais (owned by Groningen) who has been with the club since 2009. The Boca youth product has been excellent at the back and with Roberto Ayala also on the clubs books; he has clearly been picking up some valuable insight into what it takes to become a world class defender. With Russo at the helm, Racing have the right man to provide some continuity and stability at a club that has long needed it. Providing they can start the Apertura on the right footing, they could quickly develop into serious candidates for the title.

PICK: 4*BOCA JUNIORS WIN 2010 APERTURA @ 6.00 (STAN JAMES)

PICK: 3*RACING CLUB WIN 2010 APERTURA @ 21.00 (STAN JAMES)

Sports Magician