Guillermo reveals what he told Arruabarrena about Paredes: «I said…» | OneFootball

Guillermo Barros Schelotto suffered against Boca for much of the second half and, especially, against Leandro Paredes. The Xeneize captain once again dictated the tempo for Rodolfo Arruabarrena’s team and, after Vélez’s draw at the Ducó, the Twin spared no praise for the world champion midfielder. He even revealed that he spoke with el Vasco after the match about the No. 5’s level.

“Paredes is an extraordinary player. He plays one-touch, without pause, he does it all with his foot. What can I tell you, he played in World Cups and left his mark wherever he played. He is Boca’s No. 5. I told Vasco when the match ended how well he played,” Guillermo began.

And he went even further when explaining the difficulties Vélez had in trying to neutralize him: “We can’t go press him because he plays one-touch. If you let him play, he slows it down and sends long balls. He’s extraordinary.”

Vélez’s coach knows what he’s talking about. In fact, Boca’s captain was one of the standout players in the draw. Above all because of what he did in the second half, where he took over the midfield, delivered wonderful assists and even tried his luck from distance, although Marchiori prevented what would have been Xeneize’s second goal.

Guillermo analyzed the draw between Boca and Vélez

Guillermo’s description also had a lot to do with how the match unfolded. Vélez had started better, managed to take the lead and had chances to extend the gap. However, they failed to capitalize and Boca kept growing until taking control of the match in the second half.

“We lacked finishing in the first half. We could have built a bigger lead. With more than a 1-0 lead we would have managed the match better. Boca has very good players, national team players, who have played in World Cups,” explained the Fortín coach.

In the second half, the script flipped. Boca started controlling the ball with Paredes as the hub, Vélez dropped back and, despite the changes Guillermo made, they never managed to regain control. “Just as we controlled the ball in the first half, Boca controlled it in the second and split us open. We couldn’t get into the opposition box as a unit,” he admitted.

Asked by Olé whether, considering the ending, Vélez was taking home a valuable point, the Twin replied: “What stands out are the final minutes, when Boca was leaving us one-on-one with Villa and sending long balls, but we played well in the first half. I think the draw ended up being the fairest result.”

In addition, Guillermo regretted the chances his team let slip away: “We lacked finishing in the first half, and battling and fighting in the second would have given us the win. But we didn’t score the goals, and then Boca controlled the ball.”

Guillermo and the affection of Boca’s fans

The night also had an emotional component for the Twin. Before the match, he greeted Arruabarrena alongside his brother Gustavo and then spoke about the bond he still has with Boca’s fans.

“It’s hard to repay it with words. They treated me extraordinarily from the moment I first arrived as a player until my final days as coach. They still do. My gratitude is for life, it’s incredible,” he concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.