Benedetto's heroics for Boca make the case for having Liga MX back in Libertadores

It was in 2016 when absolutely no supporter of Boca Juniors knew who Darío Benedetto was. Most of them still were regretting the chaotic departure of Pablo Daniel Osvaldo following a row with Guillermo Barros Schelotto in Montevideo, when Benedetto mysteriously arrived from Liga MX's Club América.

Led by Carlos Tévez, the "Xeneizes" managed to defeat Club Nacional in the quarter-finals of Copa Libertadores and were to face the Ecuadorean cinderellas of Independiente del Valle for a berth in the final. However, a terrible mistake by Agustín Orión in "La Bombonera" meant Boca's surprising defeat. Besides, Benedetto (who was making his debut) wasted a couple of chances, prompting fans and pundits to repudiate him perhaps far too soon.

One of those quick to abuse Benedetto was Alejandro Fantino, who is Argentina's most popular tv presenter. More than just criticizing the man, Fantino mocked him by mocking his provenance: the Mexican football league.

"Jokes apart, who thought of him as a potential signing for Boca? Where did Benedetto come from? From Mexico? Where did he play in Mexico? You guys know what's the Mexican league like? I lived during three months in Colombia and I watched Mexican football: one thing is Cruz Azul and América and quite another is Rayados de Sinaloa, or who knows what shitty team. Players from the lower tiers of Perú and Bolivia actually go and play in Mexico. That's a terrible league!"

However, Benedetto shut his trap and spoke with goals. 

Barros Schelotto trusted him and Benedetto brought a league title following Tévez's departure to Shanghai Shenhua. The former Club Xolos de Tijuana player even earned a call-up to the Argentine national team; sadly, a knee injury kept him apart from the Russia World Cup. Almost a year later, he returned to club duty helping Boca to defeat Palmeiras with his tremendous brace.

Felicidad total por una noche perfecta: volver al gol en casa y por la Copa Libertadores!! #VamosBoca pic.twitter.com/GbKViCpJMa

— Darío Benedetto (@PipaBenedetto) 25 de octubre de 2018

While his second goal stole the show, his first goal, (which he scored a few minutes after Barros Schelotto introduced him from the bench ahead of Tévez and Fernando Gago), could have been scored by either him or central defender Carlos Izquierdoz. The latter also used to play in Liga MX, for Santos Laguna, and used to excel not only at defending, but also at netting from set pieces.

What is more: hadn't Benedetto rescued Boca Juniors in the last minutes of the first leg of the Libertadores semifinals, Barros Schelotto would have been criticized for sending Colombian playmaker Edwin Cardona to watch the game from the stands. Despite Cardona's controversial demeanor, his vast set of attacking skills makes any decision to put him aside a costly one. Cardona in fact is on a loan from Rayados de Monterrey.

If Boca makes it to another continental final it will largely be due to Darío Benedetto's scoring goals. This forward whose career took off in Mexico has just made the strongest of  cases for Liga MX in a scenario which should have never lost Mexican contenders: the Copa Libertadores.