The controversy about Claudio Úbeda and the now famous move from Alan Velasco to Exequiel Zeballos added a new chapter after Boca’s elimination against Racing at La Bombonera. It is no longer just about the result or Adrián Martínez’s goal that eliminated Xeneize from the final of the Clausura tournament, but about a series of decisions – and now images – that further undermine the figure of the interim coach, whose future in office is at stake.
The first focus was on the timing and direction of the first change. Úbeda waited until the 30th minute of the second half to change the bench and the decision was explosive: He defeated Changuito, Boca’s most dangerous footballer, in a flat gamefor the former Independiente, who returned to action after almost three months of inactivity due to injury. The reaction was immediate. Disbelieving gestures, fans clutching their heads and murmurs that quickly turned into accusations could be heard in the stands. Clearer: Never in history has a general “Nooooooooooooo” been heard from the entire Bombonera before a change.
The scene was reinforced by another powerful image: Leandro Paredes, captain and reference, raises his arms, kicks and protests towards the bench, This is a clear sign that you disagree with the coaching staff’s decision. It wasn’t a small gesture and it didn’t go unnoticed. In a semi-final, at home and with zero points, Changuito’s exit was incomprehensible to a large part of the stadium… and also to anyone on the pitch. Actually, Substituting number 7 saw the release of Facundo Mura, who received a reprimand and he knew that every time the man from Santiago faced him, he was on the verge of being sent off.
After the defeat, Úbeda tried to end the discussion with a concrete statement: “Exequiel was tired. We saw gestures and therefore decided to remove it. If you notice, we did this in the previous three games as well“, he said at the press conference. But far from calming the waters, his words opened a new rift. Zeballos’ entourage did not deny this version for long: they explained that the player was not exhausted, that he had not asked for a change and that at most he had a “small touch” that did not justify his departure. “I wasn’t tired. Everything TOUCHED“wrote a member of Chango’s work team on Instagram. The controversy continued.
But just when it seemed like there wasn’t much left to add, a video appeared that ended the coach’s unmasking. The images broadcast by ESPN’s F90 broadcast clearly show how Juvenal Rodríguez – Miguel Ángel Russo’s field assistant, who continued his position alongside Úbeda after the coach’s death – repeated to the coach on more than one occasion: “Palaces, Palaces”. The scene takes place with Úbeda facing the field with his arms folded, just before he makes the change that started the conflict. “El Chango is dead“Juvenal said previously.
According to the interpretation of the program itself, this dialogue would have taken place immediately before Zeballos’ move. This is no small thing: for Rodríguez – and for many Boca fans – The player who was supposed to be eliminated was the Chileanwith poor performance that evening. Finally, Zeballos was the one who left the field.
The video doesn’t completely invalidate the coach’s subsequent explanation, but it does leave clear cracks. At the very least, it weakens the idea of a decision clearly agreed upon within the coaching staff, as Úbeda himself had tried to suggest. “What we saw from Exequiel’s gestures is that he was tired,” emphasized the coach. However, the picture suggests that behind closed doors Not everyone reads the game the same way.
None of this proves that Zeballos wasn’t tired. But it calls into question the decision-making process. For the assistant, the change happened somewhere else. For the coach, no. And in the end the result was succinct: Maravilla Martínez’s goal came just four minutes laterthere was no reaction from the Boca coach, the Xeneize was eliminated, people left angry and the focus was no longer just on racing to rest on the local bench.
The decision to remove the best player from the teamthe speakers’ public reaction, the resulting contradictions, and now a video fueling the discussion form a delicate combination.
Not only do they reignite the controversy, but they also expose Úbeda at a crucial moment. In Boca, where margins are minimal, such scenes do not go unnoticed. And behind closed doors, no one rules it out The cost could be much higher as a lost semi-final.
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