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South America the season in review: 2009 Argentine Apertura

Tim Sturtridge reports...

Team of the season: Banfield

The team from the south of Buenos Aires picked up the first title of their 105 history this year as they held off the challenge of Newell's Old Boys. Despite Banfield losing 2-0 to Boca Juniors on the final day of the season Julio Cesar Falcioni's team hung on to top spot and will make their debut in the Copa Libertadores next year.

Banfield have quality all over the park and greatly benefited this season from their all-Uruguayan frontline of Santiago Silva and Sebastián Fernández. Silva's 14 goals in 19 games in the Apertura have seen the offers flooding in for the player. As with the majority of the Banfield squad Silva is in his late 20s and at the peak of his powers. One youngster on their books is 18-year-old Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez who has also been attracting the scouts to Estadio Florencio Solá.

Striker of the season: Joaquín Boghossian

The fact that Banfield could never take their foot off the gas in their quest for the title was due to Newell's Old Boys snapping at their heels right to the end. The reason the club from Rosario were able to mount such a strong challenge was thanks in no small part to the goals of Joaquín Boghossian.

After developing his game in his native Uruguay Joaquín Boghossian burst on to the scene in Argentina during the Apertura. The striker finished the season with 11 goals and at 22-years-old he is one of the hottest properties currently playing in Argentina. Boghossian has height, two good feet and a turn of pace which makes him a danger against any defence.

Midfielder of the season: Nicolás Gaitán

There may have been little to shout about this season at La Bombonera for fans of Boca Juniors as the club enduring a stuttering Apertura season. One bright spark however was Nicolás Gaitán who seems set to become the latest jewel to fall off Boca's production line.

21-year-old Gaitán plays with an elegance which is typically Argentine and this has helped him to quickly establish himself as a crowd favourite. He is now knocking on the door of 50 appearances for Boca and his incisive attacking game is improving all the time. Gaitán made his debut for Argentina this year in a friendly against Ghana and he continues to win admirers at home and abroad.

Defender of the season: Maximiliano Velázquez

With the problems the Argentine national team currently have in defence and the huge amount of personnel Diego Maradona has tested out in his year in charge it is surprising that Maximiliano Velázquez is yet to receive his first cap. His performance over the last couple of years for Lanús has been exceptional and he will once again be appearing in the Copa Libertadores next season.

As well as being a hero at Lanús the defender is also fondly remembered at Ferro Carril Oeste after he stayed with the club despite suffering two relegations with them. Now at 29-years-old however Velázquez is operating at a level which befits his ability.

Goalkeeper of the season: Jorge Broun

It stands to reason that a goalkeeper of a club in the lower half of the table is going to be kept busy and that has certainly been the case for Jorge Broun since he broke into the Rosario first team. At 23-years-old Broun is a spring chicken in goalkeeping terms but he has been earning his keep at Central for a couple of years already.

This season saw Broun show off another asset of his game when he scored against Independiente from the penalty spot. This was no relaxed strike with the win already sown up but a high pressure spot kick after 30 minutes with the score locked at 0-0.

Unfortunately Central will have to do without Broun's services for the 2010 Clausura as the player injured ligaments in his knee towards the end of the Apertura.

Coach of the season: Alejandro Sabella

Estudiantes understated gaffer Alejandro Sabella has had a happy start to his management career this year. Sabella had worked for many years alongside Daniel Passarella including stints with the Argentine and Uruguayan national teams but still there were many who questioned his lack of experience when he took over at Estudiantes in March 2009.

Sabella guided Estudiantes to victory in the Copa Libertadores as their ten game unbeaten run culminated in a final win over Cruzeiro of Brazil. Estudiantes then kept pace in the Apertura before a fixture pile up as a result of the Club World Cup saw their challenge fizzle out. Over in Abu Dhabi however Sabella pushed Barcelona close despite having a fraction of the Spanish outfit's resources to work with.

Comeback Kid of the season: Daniel Passarella

It was a confusing few days up at River Plate's El Monumental in early December 2009 as first Rodolfo D'Onofrio was announced the club's new president only for Daniel Passarella to be handed the post after a recount.

Passarella is a man who has done it all at River, he made over 250 appearance for the club in two stints and was appointed head coach twice. He also lifted the World Cup as captain of Argentina in El Monumental in 1978. Now as president of River Plate Passarella has a massive job on his hands as the giants of Argentine football appear to be a club in terminal decline.

Flop of the season: Alfio Basile

Alfio 'Coco' Basile took charge at La Bombonera for the second time at the start of the Apertura season replacing Carlos Ischia. After picking up two Copa Sudamericana titles and an Argentine league in his first stint expectation was high at the beginning of Basile's return.

It was apparent early on however that things were looking bad for Boca in the Apertura. With only half of the season gone their aspirations for entering the 2010 Copa Libertadores were in tatters with defeats being inflicted by Atlético Tucumán and Godoy Cruz among others. Surprisingly enough Basile looks like keeping his job for the 2010 Clausura despite offering his resignation.

Head in hands moment: Violence overshadows two clásicos

Sunday 22nd November 2009 saw two of the most volatile matches on the Argentine calendar take place. The clásico Rosarino between Newell's Old Boys and Rosario Central saw a riot erupt outside El Coloso after many fans were denied entry after a number of fake tickets were printed. The clashes with police saw a huge number of arrests and injuries sustained.

The same day as the riot in Rosario over in Buenos Aires violence marred the clásico del Barrio between Huracán and San Lorenzo. Again a number of fans were hospitalised and Argentina's well earned reputation for crowd trouble shows no sign of abating.

Tim Sturtridge

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