Although the team did not lose, the presence of Jesús Valenzuela brings back bad memories.
The Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela He will be in charge of dispensing justice in the opening match of the Copa América 2024 between the Argentine National Team and Canada, which will be played this Thursday at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, in the United States.
Valenzuela, who has already directed six games for the National Team in the past, does not have a completely favorable record with the team led by Lionel Messi. Of those six matches, Argentina has won three, drawn two (one of them with a victory on penalties) and lost one.
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Without a doubt, the most negative memory for the National Team with Valenzuela as referee dates back to the 2019 Copa América semifinal, where they lost 2-0 to Brazil. In that match, the Venezuelan was a VAR assistant, and the decisions made by the technology in that match still generate controversy on the Argentine side.
Two penalties not sanctioned in favor of Argentina, one on Sergio Aguero and another about Nicolas Otamendiwere the most controversial plays of that match, where many considered that the VAR could have changed the final result.
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The complete shortlist for the Argentine National Team vs. Canada
Referee: Jesús Valenzuela (VEN)
Assistant referee 1: Jorge Urrego (VEN)
Assistant referee 2: Lubin Torrealba (VEN)
Fourth Referee: Iván Barton (SAL)
Fifth Referee: David Morán (SAL)
VAR: Leodán González (URU)
AVAR: Richard Trinidad (URU)
The bitter memory of the National Team in Atlanta, where it will debut in the Copa América
Valenzuela’s background when directing the Argentine National Team
Argentina National Team 2-0 Bolivia, for Russia 2018 Qualifiers | 3/26/2016
Argentina National Team 1-1 Chile, for Qatar 2022 Qualifiers | 4/6/2021
Argentina National Team 1-0 Paraguay, for Copa América 2021 | 6/21/2021
Argentina National Team 1(3)-1(2) Colombia, for Copa América 2021 | 7/7/2021
Brazil 0-0 (suspended) Argentina National Team, for Qatar 2022 Qualifiers | 6/9/2023
Peru 0-2 Argentina National Team, for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers | 10/17/2023
