Argentinian top-flight football club draws fire after fielding influencer in match
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Deportivo Riestra's forward Milton Celiz (No. 8) and Boca Juniors' midfielder Ignacio Miramon tussling for the ball.
PHOTO: AFP
BUENOS AIRES – Argentinian football club Deportivo Riestra were branded “shameful” and a “disgrace” after putting an influencer into the starting line-up for their top-flight game on Nov 11 against leaders Velez Sarsfield, before substituting him inside the first minute.
Ivan Buhajeruk, who is better known as “Spreen” and has more than seven million subscribers on YouTube, has no professional football experience but was named as a striker in the side by coach Cristian Fabbiani.
The 24-year-old was replaced after only 50 seconds during a break in play for a foul.
The Buenos Aires club, who are known for their unconventional marketing strategies, gave Buhajeruk a professional contract and registered him with the Argentine Football Association in February.
Match commentators on local broadcaster TyC Sports were scathing of Buhajeruk’s performance in the short time he was on the pitch.
“He doesn’t even know where to stand... it’s unbelievable,” one commentator said.
“This is shameful, it’s a total disgrace.”
Fabbiani told a local radio station that he had spoken to Velez coach Gustavo Quinteros ahead of the match to tell him he did not want to disrespect anyone by naming Buhajeruk in the team.
“He laughed and told me to leave him for half an hour,” he said.
“It’s something contractual that was signed a long time ago and the club depends a lot on publicity... It was probably a one-time thing.”
Riestra’s captain Milton Celiz said the idea came from Victor Stinfale, who owns the club and the energy drink company that sponsors it.
“As a streamer, he is No. 1,” he added when asked about Buhajeruk’s skills.
But former Argentina international and Manchester United midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, now president of Argentinian club Estudiantes de la Plata, was unimpressed by the publicity stunt.
“A total lack of respect for football and footballers,” he wrote on Instagram.
Argentine newspaper La Nacion, meanwhile, wrote on its website: “How to disrespect the history and future of Argentine football in one minute.”
Riestra have enjoyed an impressive maiden campaign in the Primera Division and are lying in ninth place, level on points with giants Boca Juniors.
The match on Nov 11 ended 1-1. REUTERS
