Colombia plays its last card vs. Venezuela: Will Pékerman have revenge?

José Néstor Pékerman, the coach who took Colombia to the World Cups in Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018, will be a judge in the definition of the South American qualifier to Qatar 2022. The helmsman, current DT of Venezuela, starts as a great protagonist for the duel between the tricolor and the red wine, for the last date of the qualifiers, scheduled for next Tuesday, at 6:30 pm, in San Cristóbal.

Pékerman’s situation gives an even more special touch to the Colombian National Team’s last chance to reach the World Cup playoffs. Above all, because of the way in which he left his position in the country.

Will José Néstor Pékerman have a revenge?

Pékerman’s departure from the Colombian National Team, in September 2018, was a complete decision of the Executive Committee of the Colombian Football Federation, led at that time by Ramón Jesurún, Jorge Enrique Vélez, who was at the time the president of Dimayor, and Álvaro González Alzate, president of Difutbol.

By then, Jesurún was inaugurating his elected presidency. The man from Barranquilla assumed his duties after Luis Bedoya, who served in the position, was implicated in the corruption scandal known as ‘Fifagate’. In 2012, Bedoya was the one who brought Pékerman and, as has been known, he was the one who maintained the direct relationship between the Federation and the Argentine helmsman. During his tenure, the other leaders were apart.

(Be sure to read: Nicolás Maduro offered a ‘double prize’ if Venezuela beats Colombia?).

History tells that, by changing the leadership leadership, the new leaders wanted to give their ‘helmsman’. Hence, in the middle of the World Cup in Russia, there was a meeting of all the directors of Colombian soccer. In said assembly, while the tricolor was still alive in the sporting event, it was determined that Pékerman would not continue as national DT.

At that time, the reasons given by the leaders, led by Jesurún and González at that time, had to do with the supposed “independence” that the Colombian National Team led by Pékerman had. Everything, deepened by speculation about Pascual Lezcano, Pékerman’s agent and right-hand man, who was said to have financial interests behind the team’s calls. This information, fed by press sectors close to the Federation, was repeatedly denied by Pékerman.

(Also: Luis Fernando Suárez: the Colombian who, for now, will be in the playoffs).

In July 2018, the coach’s contract was about to expire. The Colombian Federation, in line with national laws, sent a communication informing the Argentine that the pact of wills ended in August of that same year. From then on, what was already in the making was concretized.: José Néstor Pékerman ceased to be the coach of Colombia.

In September 2018, after a tense meeting between the leaders and Pékerman, Ramón Jesurún said that the Argentine left for “personal reasons”.

“José Pékerman has expressed his decision to withdraw from the Colombian National Team, he considers a cycle that was highly successful to have been completed”added the leader, knowing that the departure of the coach had already been conceived.

Now, three and a half years later, Pékerman is on the other side. Jesurún and his retinue, screwed to their posts. And the Colombian National Team, again, remains in the middle.

(You can read: Did they steal Peru? This was said by the VAR of the ‘goal’ that they did not give against Uruguay).

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