Arce, VAR, and Chiqui Tapia: how family and controversies shaped the drama of Barracas vs. Riestra

Argentine football has once again become tinged with suspicion. At Barracas Central Stadium, two institutions burdened with stigma due to their controversial decisions played a match that reaffirmed that reputation. The 1-1 draw between the Guapo and the Malevo left a trail of questions about the role of VAR, refereeing authority, and how certain political and personal connections can influence the sports narrative.

Ignacio Arce, captain of Deportivo Riestra, was an involuntary protagonist in an afternoon that summarized the chronic issues of Argentine professional football. As he walked along the goal line with the score at 1-0 in favor of the Malevo, the goalkeeper expressed his frustration to referee Bruno Amiconi. Moments later, that tension between Arce and the referee would become the epicenter of a controversy that decided the final result.

The VAR intervention that changed the match: from penalty for Riestra to a draw in stoppage time

The dramatic turn came when it seemed Riestra would control the game. With the tactical superiority of the Malevo established on the field, a play inside the area awarded a clear penalty for Gustavo Benítez’s team. But then, as so often happens in this digital era of refereeing, the VAR booth intervened. The images showed what referees Héctor Paletta and Lucas Germanotta considered a deliberate hand in the previous action. The decision was reversed: now the penalty was for Barracas Central.

Rodrigo Insua executed the penalty with precision. The Guapo salvaged a point they had not actively sought during ninety minutes—a draw that arrived thanks to technological mediation rather than football performance. Riestra’s bench was plunged into disbelief: Gustavo Benítez raised his arms in a gesture of astonishment, while his players exchanged incredulous looks about what was happening on the pitch.

Ignacio Arce and Bruno Amiconi: the duel between Riestra’s goalkeeper and refereeing decisions

The tension between Arce and Amiconi had a precedent. When Riestra celebrated a goal that temporarily made it 2-0, VAR detected a foul. Herrera had scored accurately from outside the area, but the prior play contained a foul by player No. 27. Amiconi explained the decision with the standard words: “I observe a foul at the start of the play by player No. 27 of Riestra.” Arce, who had run from his area to protest near the monitor, was cautioned with a yellow card for his reaction.

What began as a match under Riestra’s control turned into a series of refereeing decisions that fragmented the game’s narrative. Amiconi was called twice to review his judgment, each time altering his initial decision. The authority of the main referee, once sacred, seemed to yield to the remote authority of VAR. With each technological intervention, questions grew about who was truly in charge of the match: the man on the field or the referees in the booth.

The legacy of Chiqui Tapia at Barracas Central: when politics and football converge on the pitch

Barracas Central was not just a team dealing with refereeing controversies. Behind the club was Matías Tapia, son of the current president of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia. On the field, Iván Tapia, Matías’s brother, wore the captain’s armband. The Tapia family is a power family within Argentine football: Chiqui is the top leader of the AFA, while Hugo, Chiqui’s father-in-law through his partner Paola Moyano, is a union leader and secretary-general of the Truckers’ Union.

This web of connections is significant in a country where politics permeates every aspect of sport. Barracas Central, which only recently entered the Professional League, earned a point in its renovated Luna Street stadium, partly thanks to interventions by the referee called upon by VAR. The power structure surrounding the club contrasts with its tactical performance: on the field, the Guapo lacked clear ideas and did not deploy solid football arguments.

Two teams, two stories: how historic controversy cases haunt both institutions

The uniqueness of this match lay in the fact that both institutions carried a shared stigma. Barracas Central and Deportivo Riestra have been marked since their debut in the Professional League by the number of controversial decisions allegedly favoring them. Both teams seem to live under the shadow of suspicion, as if condemned to repeat a pattern of controversies that have defined their histories.

This dual distrust is crucial to understanding the afternoon at the Guapo’s stadium. Fans present and viewers alike witnessed not only a third-round match but also the reaffirmation that certain teams, certain names, and certain political connections seem to generate an environment where refereeing decisions are constantly questioned.

The authority of VAR in question: who really rules Argentine football?

Bruno Amiconi, 39 years old, has been involved in memorable episodes in his refereeing career. In 2017, he was brutally assaulted by fans during a match between Juventud de Pergamino and Independiente de Chivilcoy, in the Federal B tournament. Three years later, he inexplicably pushed the player Gabriel Sarmiento of Sansinena during a Federal A game. In Primera, he has officiated just seven matches and four Copa Argentina games; in Primera Nacional, 66; and in Federal A, 50.

His performance at Barracas vs. Riestra revealed no blatant errors until the VAR interventions. He maintained control of the match with authority, but when called upon, he changed his judgment. In both instances, he did not stick to his initial decision. This pattern reflects a growing reality: the main referee is no longer the ultimate authority on the field. It is the VAR that seems to govern the fate of matches in Argentine football.

The reflection of a system in crisis

The draw between the Guapo and the Malevo was not just the result of two teams canceling each other out tactically. It was a reflection of a system where technology, political connections, controversy histories, and refereeing authority collide chaotically. Barracas Central earned a point not because of their performance but because refereeing decisions favored them when they needed it most.

Riestra, superior on the pitch, was penalized for infractions that the VAR detected in highly questionable actions. Technology, which promised clarity, has created new layers of confusion. Argentine football continues to be stained. And while Chiqui Tapia presides over the AFA from his office, his descendants carry the weight of that connection every time a VAR-called referee makes a decision favorable to Barracas Central.