Insults from the fans, the cold welcome from Domínguez and a post without mentioning Verón

If the AFA decides it will be a Netflix series and ends with a completely unthinkable epic ending, but that will never happen because in this story it was the one who won students and it was not the great vanquished Runwho has seen how that Clasura tournament in penalties, but this mention may fall Claudio TapiaPresident of the association that unites Argentine football.

The episode of support for the Pincha players, supported by their president, Juan Sebastian Veronlaid the leadership of the Professional league on one side and the La Plata institution on the other. For this reason, the disciplinary court punished La Bruja, who had to watch the final from the stands, and the Estudiantes players involved with a two-game ban, which they would have to pay in the Apertura that begins at the end of January.

The La Plata club swallowed and turned what it perceived as an injustice into the engine of a sweet revenge that began with the victory against La Plata Central rosarycontinued ahead Cordoba Central and stayed there Gymwon all games narrowly 1-0 and also as a guest. So he reached that final against Racing and was looking for the finishing touches for his biopic.

Tapia’s presence at the Madre de Ciudades heightened the emotions. He watched the game from a box, while Verón was forced to do so with fans because he was suspended from his managerial duties for six months. From this popular area the insults against Chiqui thundered.

“Chiqui Tapia button…” begins the little song that has become widespread in many areas and is dedicated to someone who, until a few months ago, was considered one of the people with the greatest power and influence thanks to his connections and successes with the Argentine national team. The picture no longer looks flawless, quite the opposite. And Estudiantes turned it into a rallying cry.

The penalties came, with the title confirmed for Estudiantes, and Tapia followed the protocols, smiling, kissing and hugging everyone who approached the award ceremony area, where the Pincha players and their coach Eduardo Domínguez gave the highlight of the evening.

The bearded trainer is the builder of this champion Estudiantes. But not only because of this title with epic undertones, but also because of the four conquests that it has achieved in its cycle, less than three years old, which can already be said to be a virtuous era.

Since March 2023, when he took over as technical director of Estudiantes, Pincha has participated in six finals, of which they have won four. And with this Clausura tournament he confirmed that he is one of the best coaches today.

But of course, Together with the players and Verón, he also took revenge on the AFAwhich sanctioned the football players and the head of the institution after the players made a tackle against Rosario Central in the round of 16 of the playoffs in Arroyito, after the leadership of the mother house of Argentine football forced them to do so after awarding the Rosario company the controversial title of “champion designate”.

Domínguez gathered his troops and moved forward. And he was on the ledge several times. And if Estudiantes hadn’t qualified for the playoffs, they might have left. But from almost being on vacation in mid-November to winning the championship in a month. All credit goes to the coach for rebuilding a team that had been badly hit after being knocked out by Flamengo in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores.

With an inconspicuous, almost subterranean profile, Domínguez experienced his most earthly season. Far from discursive brilliance, he relied on daily work and persuasion. Your students are a team that has learned Add kilometers in hostile scenariosTo play endgames with a firm hand and not collapse when the context is tight. It wasn’t a linear path: there were titles, hard hits and moments of internal and external discussion. Even in this Clausura, the team barely reached the decisive phase, surrounded by doubts and questions about its future.

But as the contest moved into the end zone, Pincha showed a different side. In the direct transitions he raised his level, was competitive in every detail and was supported by a clear identity, the result of a solid message that has endured over time. They defeated strong opponents, became strong away from home and even had to win a classic against Gimnasia. And this is where the work of Carlos Bianchi’s son-in-law is most watched: Character, temperament and personality in games that leave no room for error. On this tour he proved once again that he recognizes the moments and presses the right buttons at maximum pressure.

Thanks to the fuel injected by the AFA, Domínguez built a student with blood in his eye. He knew how to convert the anger and discomfort caused by the conflicts with the AFA into fuel for the group. As he brought his body to the conference, the team responded on the field, turning anger into intensity and focus. It wasn’t a coincidence: it was driving. And he showed his personality when, upon accepting the medal from Tapia, he barely extended his hand in a very cold salute. The same thing happened to most players.

A while later, Tapia’s message reached the networks, another usual step on occasions of this kind, although he made a curious omission since he mentioned everyone’s name except his president.

“Congratulations to the team, the board, Eduardo Domínguez together with his coaching staff and the Estudiantes staff on the inauguration of the 2025 Clausura tournament. Greetings to all the fans and members of Pincha,” reads Tapia’s Twitter account.

But if we talk about protocols, we now have to see who makes the Hall of Champions for Estudiantes. Will it be Platense when they play for the Champions Trophy next Saturday? Should it be Independiente’s turn, his first rival in the Apertura but playing in Avellaneda? Or do we have to ask Boca who is visiting La Plata on the second date?

Apart from requests and demands, Racing showed nobility and improvised a hall of applause for the champion, even though he was defeated and not obliged. A while before, Pincha had done the same with the academy. It was a beautiful picture worthy of Netflix.