Two passions meet again this Sunday. One, commanded by a coach who is going to live the experience for the first time, although before, as a player, he had to face very hot duels. The other already has two long years of experience in the matter. The Bogota classic is back and Martín Cardetti, the coach of Santa Fe, and Alberto Gamero, the coach of Millonarios, are ready to find joy for their respective fans. The duel number 305 in the history of the League will be seen on Win Sports +, starting at 6:10 in the afternoon.
Cardetti, debutant in the duel in the capital, was already the protagonist in several very strong games: with River Plate, he faced Boca Juniors; with Rosario Central, to Newell’s Old Boys, and with Gimnasia, to Estudiantes. And he also knows what the Colombian experience is like, but in the Valle del Cauca classic: in his time at Deportivo Cali, in 2007, he faced America once, although he could not score goals.
This is how Martín Cardetti lives his first Bogotá classic
Now, Cardetti, who started the tenth round of the League among the top eight in the League, knows that the classic is not only worth three points, but tons of encouragement if he wins it.
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“A very important classic, a very tough opponent who plays well and they come in handy. A team that tries hard, studying it and trying to control its power. We have ours, hoping that things go well for us in the most important game of all for everyone, not only for the people, but for us as well, “explained the Argentine at a press conference.
“El Clásico is different: if it were another match, maybe they would feel the blow more, but the motivation of playing the Clásico is going to put them back where they are.”
If there is a bad moment in one of the two teams, that, historically, has not had much weight. Many times, the one who arrives worse, on the board or in the mood, finds a second wind when he sees the red or blue jersey in front of him. Many times the one who arrives worse scares the other.
This time, Millonarios arrives at the classic as leader, but five days after having been eliminated from the Copa Libertadores without mitigating factors, losing both games against Fluminense. But Cardetti knows that this no longer plays.
“I think that, beyond the elimination, it comes from playing in the Copa Libertadores and that is also a motivation. The classic is different: if it were another game, maybe they would feel the blow more, but the motivation to play the classic is going to put them back where they are. I think they have forgotten the elimination and the classic, as for us, for them it must be the most important match of the tournament”, said the Argentine.
Santa Fe has been affected by a long series of injuries, and there are even three players who are not available to face Millonarios: goalkeeper Leandro Castellanos and attackers Jhon Velásquez and Jersson González.
“We are calm, we know the importance and difficulty of the match. The only complicated one is Jersson who has been coming for several weeks, he continues with the same adductor problems. Leandro comes from an operation, Matías and Wilfrido are ready, Velásquez also has discomfort, “said the DT.
Alberto Gamero turns the page of the Copa Libertadores
Millonarios now has to focus on local tournaments (La Liga, in which it is the leader with 20 points, and the Copa Colombia, in which it will play in the second half, when clubs with international representation come into competition).
We wanted to be in Libertadores and it was not possible. Now we have to think about the League and Santa Fe. Turn the page and start again to build a trip to an international event”.
“We are landed in that we suffered a setback in the Libertadores and we were eliminated. This team is strong and they know that we wanted to compete and we couldn’t, but they are strong for this League”, assured Gamero.
After the two defeats against Fluminense, in which he had some good moments in both games, but ended up losing due to punctual errors in defense and attack, Millonarios is now aiming to seek a new classification for Conmebol competitions. Especially the Libertadores, in which they have not passed a group stage since 1997.
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“Hopefully we can get the three points against the local rival that will serve to continue at the top and for reclassification, thinking of an international event. We wanted to be in Libertadores and it was not possible. That was one of the objectives, it was not done and now we have to think about the League and Santa Fe. Turn the page and start again to build a trip to an international event, ”he said.
Gamero is already beginning to be questioned because he has failed in definitive instances and, after two years, they begin to demand that he win a title. Samarium, who was already champion as a player in 1988, is aware of this.
“Our illusion and obligation is to fight for the title. We can’t hide that. Last year we fought one and didn’t go to the other for one point. The idea now is to fight it and win it. The first thing is to reach the final, we are working on that”, stated Gamero.
The blue coach knows that it will not be easy to face his traditional rival and he believes he has his diagnosis: “Santa Fe plays 1-4-3-3, it defends more in a medium-low block. He starts the game a lot, plays you with fast wingers and has (Wilson) Morelo who is a good pivoter and scorer. On the still ball they are very strong. It’s going to be a close game, if we don’t make mistakes and put in the one we have left to win that classic”, concluded Gamero. At 6:10 in the afternoon, the passions of Bogotá meet again.
Jose Orlando Ascencio
Sports Sub-Editor
@josasc
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