Dario Benedetto, widely known as El Pipa, returned with renewed presence and a sense of destiny in Libertadores that night. A big moment arrived when fate nudged him at a critical turn, reshaping the course of his season and the stories told about him in the stands and on the bench.
People often say that sequels never quite match the original, that you should not chase past happiness, but Benedetto’s comeback at Boca Juniors came wrapped in a hopeful atmosphere. Still with Elche in early 2022, he offered hints of a connection with the Boquense faithful, and after a club-wide reshuffle that sent several players to different shores, the striker found his way back home. The sense of reconciliation was more than a gesture; it felt like a renewal of purpose for a player who had faced sizable expectations and intense scrutiny.
His first appearance back came against Colón on the opening matchday of the 2022 Professional League Cup. It took just 23 minutes for him to leave a mark, signaling a return to form that many fans had hoped to see. There were defining goals and moments of notable play as the team pursued the title, yet over time the peaks softened and the momentum faded, a common arc in football where momentum can be as fragile as a single misplaced pass.
The turning point of the season arrived in the return leg of the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores 2022. The night carried weight beyond the scoreboard: two missed penalties, a sequence that altered Boca’s trajectory and dampened the squad’s ambition for continental glory. It was a moment that tested restraint and resilience, inviting reflection on the pressures that accompany big-stage football and the fine line between triumph and disappointment.
Beyond the pitch, Benedetto’s time at the club was marked by a pattern of controversy that kept him in the media spotlight. Early frictions with teammates and clashes with management punctuated the period. There was a publicly discussed conversation with Augustine Almond that invited ridicule, followed by conflicts with the football board over attention and preparation ahead of clashes, notably against Corinthians. A separate incident with Carlos Zambrano during the halftime break of a classic against Racing also drew attention, earning him a sanction of two days. These episodes underscored how a player’s off-pitch behavior and relationships can shape perception as much as, if not more than, on-pitch performance.
Aside from the disputes, Benedetto endured a drought in front of goal. His scoring drought began after a strike against Tigre on June 16 and extended until September 11, a stretch of 546 minutes on the field without a celebratory moment. The dry spell finally broke in the Superclásico when he headed home a corner to put Boca ahead 1-0 against River, a relief not only for the scorer but for a crowd starved for a lift. Three days later the drought ended again with a decisive goal against Lanús, sealing a 1-0 win that helped Boca climb the table and restore momentum during a grueling season.
In 2023, after serving a four-day suspension tied to his exclusion from the 2022 Champions Trophy match against Racing, Benedetto returned with a flourish, delivering a hat-trick in the Argentine Super Cup victory over Patronato. The performance signaled a resurgence, a declaration that his presence remained a central piece of Boca’s attacking plans and a reminder that form in football can swing with the right mix of confidence, timing, and opportunity.
All goals and assists by Darío Benedetto since his return to Boca illustrate a player who has weathered ups and downs, yet who consistently contributes to the team’s offensive tempo. His journey reflects the broader narrative of a club balancing legacy with renewal, where a familiar figure can re-enter the lineup and offer both experience and a fresh impetus for younger players breaking into the squad.
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Cited from Goal.