Andrés Merlos returns to race management after two and a half years

In turbulent times and definitions in Argentine football, referees The four matches of the Clausura Championship quarter-finals They are in the spotlight. But not only the person who will be on the field as a main player or assistant, but also those who will be in Video Assistant Refereewho recently make many decisions, adapt their colleagues to review the plays and change the original situation.

What’s most striking about the four referees who will officiate the matches is that Andres Merlos will return to live racing after two years and seven months. In the first half of 2023, the Merlos rulings against Tigre and Boca met with strong resistance from the academy. Thus, as a clear example that when leaders weigh in on the AFA, as Victor Blanco did, poor or controversial performances have a solution if the club feels hurt, Merlos no longer manages Racing. Until this Monday…

It will be the first of four matches Central Cordoba Santiago del Estero and La Plata studentswhich will be able to use its key players despite the AFC penalty Gateway corridor. He was the chosen one Yael Falcon PeresWho is curious about the people of Santiago. One of them is those seven matches that the coach played (two wins and three losses). Railway), three were against Boca and two this year. The other is that he took out the day he became Copa Argentina champion against Velez at Union Stadium. There he did not receive a penalty for fort A handball by Lucas Abassia and a handball by goalkeeper Luis Ingolotti outside the area were not awarded, and there was no penalty either.

Estudiantes has better numbers with Falcon Perez, with six wins and two losses. This year he took it out only once, in March, against River (2-0). In the decisive stages, he was in two matches, in the Super Cup final, in March 2024, which River won 2-1, and in the 2023 Argentine Cup semi-final, which River won 2-1. Click They beat Boca 3 to 2. Silvio Trucco would make an assist from the VAR, who was at River-Gimnasia and after a controversial penalty at the end of the match, was suspended for some time.

The second match will be held on Sunday between… mouth and ArgentiniansWith arbitration Fernando Echenique And in VAR it was appointed Lucas NovelliHe was involved in many controversies, the most recent of which was in the round of 16 match between… Central Cordoba and St. LawrenceIn prison for the benefit of the people of Santiago.

Boca has very good numbers with Echenik, achieving 18 wins and five defeats. It also has two precedents between them Boca vs Argentinaboth won Zeniz 1-0, one in 2023, a goal by Miguel Merentel, and the other in the semi-final of the Copa Argentina 2021, a goal by Lisandro Lopez. Boca fans still remember the arrogant attitude shown by the referee towards Edinson Cavani, who sent him to study the regulations, after he protested because he did not hit the opposing goalkeeper with his elbow.

with insectThe numbers are even, seven wins and six losses. But there is a positive memory in the last live league match, in the 2022 League Cup semi-final, against Estudiantes. The match ended 1 to 1 and they won the penalty shootout by 4 to 3. Naturally, La Patternal were down to ten goals 10 minutes into the second half due to Matias Galarza being sent off for a double yellow card. Later, after a clash between Mariano Andujar and Gabriel Avalos, he spent almost 5 minutes determining, together with the VAR, whether a penalty had been awarded or there had been an advanced position, which was finally awarded.

The round of 16 will conclude on Monday. In the first round, the match between Paracas Central and Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata will be measuredwith Hernan Mastrangelo and Jorge Baleno officiating will be on VAR. Mastrangelo officiated just four matches against Paracas, who won two (both this year) and lost two. One of them was specifically against Lobo, on March 9, 2024, in Bosque, with a 2-0 local win. Two years ago, Balinho was the protagonist of a controversial refereeing match in their match handsome and nursingwho had two goals disallowed, both at the request of VAR. The match ended with incidents between the players and the police in the middle of the field, and the arrest of four players and a member of the technical staff.

On the other hand, Mastrangelo coached Gimnasia 19 times, winning eight and losing eight, in addition to three draws. None of the matches were direct eliminations. Monday will be the first.

The last quarterfinal match will be in Avellaneda Penn race and tigerwith Andres Merlos Judgment and Pablo Dufalo In VAR technology. As it was said, Merlos has not been at the helm of the academy for 31 months. On 11 May 2019, he led Tigre 2-Racing 0 in the quarter-finals of the League Cup. That day he wrongly disallowed a goal scored by Federico Gonzalez due to an offside position, at the request of midfielder Diego Bonfa.

However, in the encounter on February 13, 2023, the score ended 2-2 in Avellaneda. In the 14th minute, the local team was leading 1-0, the ball hit Brian Lisa, entered the goal, and Gabriel Arias flew in and took it out. Merlos stopped the match and four minutes later scored the goal, but in the replay it was not clear whether the ball entered the goal or not. In the end, Paulo Guerrero scored the score 3-2, but it was canceled due to a previous hand.

The battle with Merlos intensifies in Boca 3-Racing 1 on April 30, 2023in which two were sent off from each side, Martin Bairro and Juan Ignacio Nardone. But it sparked controversy over two fouls against Moura, one by Valentin Barco and the other by Sebastian Vela, not being reviewed as potential red cards. Leandro Rey Hilfer was present at VAR, who matched up with Merlos on both plays. Of course, Barco and Villa were able to play the Superclásico the following week at the Monumental.

As for numbers, neither of them have a good history with Merlos. Racing won two matches, tied two and lost five, while Tigre won 11, lost 13 and tied seven.