Santiago Hidalgo is 18 years old and breaks it. He is one of the great promises of Independiente and was one of the few daring in that cauldron that was Ricardo Enrique Bochini on Sunday, against the Institute. Some 38,000 people -according to official figures- in a stadium with a capacity for almost 53,000. Pure pressure. Fans who sing that you have to lay eggs and sweat your shirt because they don’t play with anyone. Whistles every time someone gives a bad pass or misses a ball. Hidalgo entered with 20 minutes to go for Martín Cauteruccio (35 years old), author of the two goals for Rojo in the first half. Cauteruccio arrived to score goals in these dry times. Only now he was able to meet expectations. But he was not enough: Independiente won 2-0 and ended 2-2. He could win, he could lose. In the end, he equalized and went whistled.
It is remarkable how the Independiente players fall when conceding a goal. You can tell from the way they move on the court how much they feel the pressure. Not all resist it. Because Red played very well until Adrián Martínez made it 2-1. Until then, the game was local. There were touches, dribbling and even shots on goal, one of the shortcomings he had so far. It was his best match of the tournament. But there is a goal and the nerves appear. The players make mistakes, they move away from the ball, they get rid of it. They no longer face or kick the goal. They play backwards, with the risk that this implies. Some opt for a kick, the easiest way to show grit.
There is also the fan, impatient. The Institute goal changed the atmosphere. He went from euphoria to insult. They are overcome by the fear of not winning or, directly, of losing. Of the three games played in Avellaneda, the Red could not win any. In his first presentation, with 42,000 people and tremendous expectations, he lost 2 to 1 with Platense; in the second, with a similar call-up, they fell 2-0 against Defense and Justice, which made a price for them.
How can kids who have just started Primera play in such an environment? The technical director, Leandro Stillitano, on the tightrope, asked for patience. And he warned: “We ended up playing with boys from the lower ranks.”
There is no doubt that the team needs help mentally. From the club, they tell Page 12: “The campus has a psychologist who started this year. He knows most of the players because he was with them in the inferiors ”. Stillitano spoke of that same problem. But time passes and no progress is seen.
There is hope from players like Mateo Barcia (22 years old), Matías Giménez (23), Nicolás Vallejo (19), Rodrigo Márquez (21), Tomás Pozzo (22) and the aforementioned Hidalgo. The arrival of Rodrigo Rey to the goal was a success: he had enormous saves against the Institute. It remains to be seen if Patricio Ostachuk, Sergio Barreto and Ayrton Costa consolidate at their level. And Ivan Marcone. Things with Juanito Cazares, who was not a starter, are broken. He was the only one whistled when the voice from the stadium mentioned it and his level is not good, beyond some sporadic passes. A difficult puzzle lies ahead for Stillitano.
His fans suffer from impotence. Because they see the team and understand that that’s all there is. Harsh reality for a club accustomed to great feats, titles and brilliant players. Perhaps it is a matter of understanding that those times are over; not only for the Reds but for Argentine soccer in general. It is enough to see any game at the local level. There is no consolidated team that plays well and is effective. Boca is among those at the top because he wins but not because he plays at a good level. The same San Lorenzo and even River. Maybe some exceptions, like Racing, Argentinos Juniors or Defense and Justice. But no more.
In the football of the world champions, those who turn around play, the promises to which you have to wait and others who do not pass the average. That is the football we have.
