Boca Juniors Criticizes Refereeing After Controversial Red Card Costs Them Against Cruzeiro

Boca Juniors suffered more than just a defeat in their away match against Cruzeiro; the 1-0 loss in Belo Horizonte also marked their first stumble in the Copa Libertadores, compounded by a highly contentious red card.

“

Solamente perdón a mis compañeros y a la gente de Boca. Sean errores o no del árbitro, a mí me toca hacerme cargo de lo que hago. Hoy seguramente fallé y me toca tragar mierda, pero voy a trabajar mis errores para poder seguir ayudando a mis compañeros.

The pivotal moment came in the 46th minute of the first half when striker Adam Bareiro received a second yellow card, a decision that drew widespread protest from the entire Boca delegation, both on the field and in post-match comments. Bareiro, who committed five of Boca's eight first-half fouls, was shown his first yellow for a minor infringement and the second for an alleged hand to the face, which players felt was exaggerated by the Cruzeiro opponent.

“

Ninguna de las dos (infracciones) me parecen amarilla.

Boca players, including Leandro Paredes and Nicolás Figal, voiced their strong disagreement with the referee's officiating, arguing that the yellow cards, particularly the second one for Bareiro, were unwarranted and significantly disadvantaged the team. Midfielder Santiago Ascacíbar echoed this sentiment, stating the referee's quick issuance of cards, including the red, altered the game's dynamic. Coach Claudio Úbeda, while attempting to maintain composure, also acknowledged the red card's impact, suggesting the referee could have managed the match differently. Bareiro himself took to social media to apologize to his teammates and fans, accepting responsibility while implicitly questioning the officiating.

“

El árbitro se equivocó, de ninguna manera era amarilla. Son detalles que te perjudican. Está todo a la vista. No es fácil jugar en Brasil, con uno menos y por Copa Libertadores.