Martín Palermo was ready to roll and if his week one performance was indicative, he would blow by the 200-goal mark easily. Even though Lanús came out first with a sixth-minute goal by José Sand, Boca who was led by their youngsters, came out on top. Yet Fabián Vargas was able to equalize close to the end of the first half. Then Boca would suffer arguably the most deflating injury of the year.
In the dying moments of the first half, Martín Palermo would go up for a header, but he came down badly on the way down, he would tear both his medial collateral and anterior collateral ligaments. The expected return time for the all-time leading scorer in Boca history is anywhere between five to eight months.
If there was ever a person that could rise again from the ashes, it is Palermo. Although he suffered injuries in 1999 while with Boca and in 2003 with Villarreal when he had a stand fall on his knee. At the same time, one also has to have in mind the fact that he is 34 and quickly reaching the twilight of his career.
This without a doubt was the worst-case scenario for Boca as they were inactive in the off-season transfer market and decided to go with the young players that are coming out of their highly successful developmental side.