Giovanni Moreno did not have an easy return to Colombian football. After 10 years at Shanghai Shenhua in China, Gio returned to Atlético Nacional, to fulfill the dream of winning a star in Colombian soccer, which he could not achieve in his first stage at the club.
Moreno, 36, had a hard time getting back into the League, in which the physical demands and the speed with which the game is played are very different from those of 2010, when he left Nacional for Racing.
(Also read: Henry Viáfara: revealing photo of the current state of the former Colombia team)
When Moreno already seemed to get into the orbit of Nacional, he was injured on the first date of the semifinal home run, when he had just scored a goal against Junior in Barranquilla.
Then, when he was ready to reappear, he made provocative gestures from a box at the El Campín stadium towards the fans of Millonarios and the Championship Disciplinary Committee punished him with two suspension dates.
The qualification that could bring problems to Nacional
Gio returned in the first leg of the final and for that reason, Tolima demanded the match: the same Committee enabled him to play and Tolima considered that he had not complied with the first suspension date. The claim was dismissed.
Moreno wanted to be champion, but had announced his retirement at the end of this championship. And he ended up being key: he entered the second half and took a free kick that burned the hands of Tolima goalkeeper William Cuesta. From that corner kick came the title goal, scored by Jarlan Barrera.
Is Gio Moreno leaving? The player talked about his future
Yerson Candelo, the hero of the first leg with a long-range goal to put Nacional ahead, revealed that Gio made a promise if the team got the 17th star: if they won, he would postpone the end of his football career.
“That’s it. We won the title. We hope that Gio complies and stays with us”, declared Candelo at the end of the match, speaking to Win Sports.
Moreno, at the press conference, revealed how difficult the semester was for him. “I had told the boys that I wanted to rest. They threatened me and wanted me to leave, and yet I stayed, I wanted to continue fighting. Now that I want to leave, it’s a strange feeling, the confidence that the teacher gave me,” Moreno said.
(In other news: Piqué and Shakira: the hateful nickname for the singer, in the player’s circle)
Gio conditioned his continuity to the ratification of Hernán Darío Herrera as coach. I wanted to leave a long time ago. The teacher put together a family, a great group. I felt loved and accompanied, so with their help, I was able to continue and become champion with that team, I suffered at the time, the results were not given. Now, with that support, the president is the man, he has to renew him and he has to renew me. If the teacher continues, I will continue.
SPORTS
#Giovanni #Moreno #promise #Nacional #champion