Boca won by the minimum in the Allianz Parque, but it became complicated with the expulsion of Marcos Rojo y Palm trees scored 1-1, which forced penalties in which Xeneize won 4-2 to qualify for the final of the Copa Libertadores 2023. Hours after the match, the VAR audios were released about the first and controversial yellow that the captain of the blue and gold team received.
The Uruguayan referee Andres Matonte He treated the infraction as a dangerous play and quickly gave Rojo a yellow card, who swore that he had not touched Rony in the 65th minute. Meanwhile, the VAR, commanded by Leodán González, did its job, trying to interpret the action of the Argentine defender.
“The player is grabbing his face,” AVAR warns in the audio released by Conmebol. «Marcos Rojo plays ball»the VAR quickly assures in that dialogue that lasts a few seconds. «When he plays the ball, his foot goes down and touches him in the face but the Palmeiras player is also down»explains Matonte from the playing field, giving his interpretation of what he had seen.
“Yellow? Yes, yellow,” VAR and AVAR finally agree after seeing several repetitions. “Thug, look. “Marcos Rojo plays the ball and the contact on the face is minimal, so I confirm the yellow card,” the VAR tells the referee. And he adds, to finish his conclusion: «There is no extra movement from Marcos Rojo to attack and he plays the ball first, he has nowhere to put his foot afterwards».
The expulsion of Captain Xeneize
At 65 minutes into the game, Rojo untimely cut off an advance of Kevin near the right edge of the area and saw the second yellow. Previously, 5 minutes into the final stage, the defender was the protagonist of the controversy of the night after a play where he raised his leg very high in front of Ron, who also had her elevated, and touched her face after rejecting. The referee and the VAR decided that it was a warning, although all the locals complained for a red.
