in the stadium Juan Carmelo Zerillo of La Plata, Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Central Rosary They lived a particular afternoon this Wednesday, February 25, 2026 for the seventh date of the Apertura Tournament 2026. The visiting team ended up winning by 2-1 with goals from Enzo Giménez and Gastón Ávila, after Ignacio “Nacho” Fernández would have put the home team ahead in the first minutes of the game. The victory left the Canalla with 11 pointsalready fourth in the area, while Gimnasia was with 10 units after another close result in the Bosque de la Plata.
The match was led by Fernando Echeniquemain referee of the shortlist who directed the match on the La Plata court, and who also became the protagonist of one of the least common moments of the day. Before the initial whistle, in the draw between captains to define possession, the referee introduced an unusual element: a coin that instead of the usual “heads or tails” showed on one side the figure of Diego Maradona and on the other that of Lionel Messi. Addressing the question to the visiting captain, Angel Di Mariathe Rosario striker found himself with the symbolic obligation to “choose” between two of the greatest references in Argentine football.
The scene, captured by cameras and viralized on networks, was marked by the smile and evasive response of the Qatar 2022 world champion. “Let him choose,” he responded. Say Maria pointing at Nacho Fernández, his Gimnasia counterpart, with a notable smile of surprise at the situation. The gesture of the Rosario striker reflected his personal bond with both idols. The relationship with Messiteammate with whom he shared campaigns and titles, and the influence of Maradona as a coach who supported him at critical moments in his career, they are part of a story that exceeds the anecdotal nature of a draw.
Although at that time he avoided explicitly declaring a preference, Di María has expressed his admiration for both on other occasions. In a previous interview, when asked who was the best in history, he came to define that “For me it is God; the others are below” referring to one of them in the context of a radio conversation in DSports Radio (2024), in which he spoke enthusiastically about both Messi and Maradona and what they meant to his professional life.
Beyond the humorous moment in the draw, the match between Central and Gimnasia was held as a duel of sporting validity, with Echenique’s referee shortlist at the center of the scene and with its sights set on the development of the Argentine championship, where the teams seek to assert themselves in privileged positions.
