Ezequiel Fernández: Boca’s Star Man in Midfield
Club: Boca Juniors
Nationality: Argentina
Position: CM, DM
Preferred Foot: Left
Height: 5’10”/178cm
Age: 21
Strengths: passing, vision, ambipedal, tackling, duels, carrying, verticality
Areas for Development: box-entry volume, aggression
It has been a sensational era for Argentine football. Since the start of 2021, they’ve won two Copa América titles, La Finalissima, and the World Cup, and they will be looking to come away with the gold medal in this year’s Summer Olympics in Paris. Among Javier Mascherano’s squad, there are quite a few big names from veteran center back Nicolás Otamendi to Manchester City’s Julián Álvarez. However, one player who looks set to play a crucial role in midfield for the Albiceleste is Ezequiel Fernández.
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An excellent ball-winner, ‘Equi’ is a technically gifted, press-resistant player who flourishes in his ball manipulation and all-round intelligence, capable of carrying the ball with either foot and making the difference in every area of the pitch. He’s everything you want in an all-action 8, a player who can thrive in the first or second phase of possession and who can not only operate as a deep-lying playmaker, but win the ball back with intensity and aggression.
After winning the ball back, the Argentine will then progress it into the final third with style. He is an excellent penetrative passer who plays through the lines and makes long passes over the top of defences from deep. Equi accurately executes this on both feet due to his ambipedal ability, whilst his ball manipulation and two-footedness make him a press-resistant figure.
Under pressure, he’s calm on the ball and can turn past players before progressing the ball forward, as evidenced by his 86.5% pass accuracy. He is a ball-winning midfielder with great athleticism and physicality and who is also an aggressive duel winner who’s very active defensively, averaging 3.32 tackles per 90, 1.66 interceptions per 90 and 2.31 blocks per 90.
Fernández excels at tackling, but he does tend to go to ground to win the ball a lot due to his front-footed approach, which obviously has its risks. This aggression is great, but it needs to be channelled and balanced with his pivot partner. Despite being left-footed, Fernández doesn’t have any angle bias due to the fact he’s ambipedal. He can take on players on either side to great effect and pass or shoot at all angles.
At Boca Juniors, Fernández previously played as a more advanced midfielder (#8) when Alan Varela was there, as Varela played as the single pivot. Since Varela’s move to Porto, Fernández has operated in a double pivot and has been entrusted with more defensive responsibility.
Although he’s got a front-footed approach, Fernández could be turned into a #6 due to the fact he does actually stay deep at times, but in order to do so, he’d have to channel his aggression and would need time to adapt. Right now, his best position is as a #8 with a single pivot behind or in a double pivot. In either case, he would be tasked with executing the build-up play and providing defensive support, but his main role would be progressing the ball with passing or carrying.
Another area of development for Equi Fernández is his box-entry volume. This is more a tactical tweak due to the fact he previously had a lot of box-to-box tendencies, but as an #8, he needs to arrive into the box more in order to improve his goal threat. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old is already a versatile threat, and it’s seemingly only a matter of time before he heads across the Atlantic and makes a name for himself in European football.
As an all-action midfielder who combines technical ability with tenacity in his tackles, Equi could be a perfect fit for Atlético Madrid. With an aging midfield of Koke (32), Rodrigo De Paul (30), and Marcos Llorente (29), Atleti are in need of fresh blood, and the center of the pitch seems a tad light following the departure of Saúl Ñíguez to Sevilla. Fernández would fit like a glove and take his talents to a new level under his compatriot Diego Simeone.
He has a market value of just €14 million per Transfermarkt, and with a contract until 2028, it’s surely only a matter of time before he departs the Bombonera and tests his skills outside of his native Argentina. After Valentín Barco, Alan Varela, and Gastón Ávila, Fernández looks set to become the latest player to depart Boca and take his talents to Europe.
Fernández has a bright future ahead of him and as he continues to grow, he will have the opportunity to show his strength on the international stage.
If you are a fan of his, custom patches are a great way to show your support and love for him. Design some patches with his name, back number, team logo, and other elements. You can use the classic blue and gold color scheme of Boca Juniors, plus represent his milestone moments in the team, symbolizing his start and growth in the club.
This custom patch will be a favorite fan collection, and it is also a tribute to Fernandez’s career growth and performance on the international stage.
By: Ben Mattinson / @Ben_Mattinson_
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Daniel Jayo / Getty Images