(Boca vs Banfield - Watch at the 3:50 mark as Banfield realizes they're Champions)

Lots of big news in the Futbol world over the last few weeks and Argentina was in the middle of it all.

1. Banfield won the Argentine Apertura 2009. In their final match of the Apertura 2009 tournament Banfield faced off against the most popular club in Argentina Boca Juniors, at Boca. A friend and I actually went down to the stadium and around Boca before and during the game and it was nothing short of insane. You could hear the cheers literally echo around the entire west side of the city. The streets leading up to the stadium were all blocked off with police in riot gear and road blocks to funnel traffic. Once the game started the entire neighborhood was abandoned. Banfield fans came into the stadium with armored car escorts and the streets they came in on were blocked off to outsiders (Boca Fans). The Apertura 2009 is tournament of all the Argentine Futbol Clubs. It is the first of 2 seasons here in Argentina. Each team plays each other once (19 matches) and the club with the most points at the end wins. No playoffs. No championship match. I couldn't even imagine the environment of a championship match. Superclasico times 10? 

So, coming into the final weekend Newell's Old Boys trailed Banfield by 2 points in the standings. In a rather anti-climatic manor, both Newell's Old Boys (San Lorenzo) and Banfield (Boca) lost. Therefore, Banfield held on for their first title as Champions of the Apertura 2009. You have to watch the video above starting at the 3:50 mark. Banfield fans love to celebrate with crotch grabs! 

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