A gesture that says it all: Marcos Rojo's surprised face when he found out that Brey would come in for the penalty shootout

La Bombonera will not forget Tuesday night's match. Not only because of Boca 's tough elimination in Phase 2 of the Copa Libertadores against Alianza Lima of Peru , but also because of the controversy generated by the substitution of Agustín Marchesín at the end of the match so that Leandro Brey could save in the penalty shootout .

Fernando Gago seems to have followed in the footsteps of Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal at the 2014 World Cup: he took off Jasper Cillessen to allow Tim Krul to come on in the penalty shoot-out in the quarter-final against Costa Rica. It worked out well for the former Barcelona player and his pupil was the hero of the night, saving two penalties and giving his team the qualification that would later be eliminated by Argentina.

However, there is a precedent that surely touches Gago more closely. And it is none other than that of Gabriel Heinze, one of his role models as a footballer and later as a coach. In his debut as technical director of Argentinos Juniors, the Gringo replaced the goalkeeper in a Copa Argentina final . It went badly for him and he was eliminated by Laferrere, a Primera C team.

The situation at La Bombonera on Tuesday was extremely confusing. Referee Piero Maza had given seven minutes and, when that added time was up, it was Agustín Marchesín himself who rushed the change, which left him in the eye of the storm. A few hours later, different records began to emerge that made it clear that Pintita's decision surprised Boca's own players and added even more controversy to Gago's decision.

An ESPN camera captured the moment when the change was about to take place.

At that moment, Marcos Rojo approaches the substitutes' bench to drink water: "Why Leo?" he asks one of Gago's assistants when he sees that the goalkeeper will be replaced. "Because of the penalties?" asks the former Manchester United player.

When he learned that Brey would enter for the penalty shootout, the defender makes a surprised face that can be interpreted in many ways.

The result is well known and is the subject of a football debate in Argentina these hours: Brey was unable to save any penalty in the penalty shoot-out and Boca will not be able to compete in the Copa Libertadores in 2025.

"Everything we've been working on is studied and worked on. 'Leo' is more accustomed to the analysis that the boys make of where he can execute, where he can shoot. Let's not forget that 'Lea' saved 4 penalties (in the previous series), so he's a goalkeeper who has very good records saving penalties," said Gago at a press conference.

Another of the images seems to make it clear that it was Marchesín himself who accelerated his own departure: "Agustín also made the decision of what was discussed in order to be able to do it. Obviously it could happen or not if he spent change before. So, from that point on, it was very clear, it was a decision that was at a certain point discussed, but not taken. It was taken at the time," explained Pintita.