Chicho Serna’s Sharp Response to Vélez’s President on the Copa Argentina Match: “What This Really Demonstrates Is…”

Boca Juniors Football Council member Chicho Serna has responded to comments from Vélez Sarsfield president Fabián Berlanga regarding the decision not to play their upcoming Copa Argentina semi-final on a FIFA date.

Boca Juniors are scheduled to meet Vélez in a crucial clash that has important implications for their 2025 Copa Libertadores qualification aspirations. The match, which has sparked controversy since it was announced, will take place on Wednesday 27th.

Initially, Boca had requested that the match not be scheduled during the FIFA date to avoid losing players due to international call-ups, while Vélez aimed to avoid conflicts with their commitments in the Liga Profesional, where they currently occupy the first place. It was ultimately decided to avoid the FIFA date.

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President Berlanga expressed his frustration with the current situation, intensifying his stance against playing the match outside Buenos Aires in order to eliminate the need for travel. “I don’t want to travel. If they allow visiting fans and want to play it at Boca’s ground, then we will play, I have no problem with that,” he said.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t play on the FIFA date, so we will have to play several matches every three or four days. It seems like a punishment for a team that was leading and reached the semi-finals of the Copa Argentina. The players’ need for rest is not taken into account,” he added.

During an impromptu press conference at Boca’s training center on Monday, Serna reacted to Berlanga’s remarks regarding the match scheduling, delivering a rather sharp response: “What this really demonstrates is how much Boca is big.”

Serna also clarified Berlanga’s comments: “I am not in a position to criticize him; everyone defends their club as they see fit. They are within their rights. We have never considered the Copa Argentina as just another match ; we have always treated it with the utmost seriousness, whatever the stage of the game.”