Played six dates already, something like 25 percent of its route, Independent is the undefeated pointer of Professional League Tournament. But even that double condition does not reveal a solid and reliable team, with the stamp of a candidate for the title. Just in the last two days, after their triumphs against Racing in the Avellaneda and Rosario Central classics, on Saturday in Arroyito, Julio César Falcioni’s team has filled some minimum boxes in terms of their level of play. Ten days ago it was one more among so many teams in crisis: he had been eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana and the Copa Argentina and some connoisseurs of the internal life of the Reds affirm that the continuity of Falcioni could have staggered if he did not win the classic to Racing.
It is an indication of the state of things in Argentine football that Independiente, who is wearing what he is wearing and very little else, is the best for now among the 26 clubs that dispute the First Division championship. In reality, It is the consequence of mediocre news and institutions impoverished by the pandemic and by a national economy that forces them to sell in a hurry without being able to replace what is sold. Most of the teams have less than what they had before the outbreak of Covid 19. And if a piece of information was needed to show how far the sporting deterioration has reached, you just have to look at the performance in the Continental Cups: de thirteen teams that started playing them in March, only two, River in the Libertadores and Central in the South American, have reached the quarterfinals. With the serious risk that both will be eliminated at the end of their trips to Brazil this week.
Nothing helps in the short term to breathe optimism into the situation: the shows will continue to be unattractive because the coaches will continue to bet on closing and blocking the games rather than playing them. Nor do there seem to be senior footballers willing to break the mold. And the Argentine economy will not show signs of recovery soon enough to trust that each sale abroad will not weaken the devalued schools more and more.
The weak strength of the peso prevents retaining the best players and, if there is no choice but to sell them, it also prevents them from being replaced. It is not that Argentine soccer cannot compete against the powers of Europe or the powerful leagues of Mexico and the United States. That was always the case and it is no longer surprising. What if It is surprising that offers in dollars that come from Peru, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay or third-order European places end up being irresistible. Nobody wants to stay, everyone wants to leave. And those who left make efforts not to return. In this context, soccer is played in Argentina.
Those responsible for the marketing of the AFA, the Professional League and the clubs should be concerned: In traditional media and on social media, the Primera championship is increasingly a marginal conversation. Last week, the shocking arrival of Lionel Messi to PSG relegated news related to local activity to the background. Little is spoken and written, perhaps because few things happen or what little happens is not so interesting or less interesting than before. The truth is that Argentine football is going through another moment of crisis. He has recovered from many others based on his formidable vitality despite everything and the appearance of great players. In this case, one might wonder if it will be that way again.
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