The postcard of the consecration of Students of La Plata In Santiago del Estero there was a component that went beyond sport: Claudio “Chiqui” TapiaPresident of AFAHe was responsible for Give the medals and cup to the champion des Final tournamenta few weeks after a heated institutional dispute with the Pincharrata club. After 1-1 of the lion with Runwhich led to one 5-4 in one Penalty seriesTapia led the awards ceremony from the podium and welcomed each member of the team Juan Sebastian Veron – suspended from football activities as manager for six months – watched from a stand at the Madre de Cities, unable to attend the trophy ceremony.
Verón, the president of Estudiantes, was prevented from entering the field due to his sanction, caused by the back hallway of the footballers who played against Rosario Central, which was declared league champion because it was first in the annual table. The corridor had been introduced by the AFA a few days earlier, a measure that was met with resistance and exposed institutional unrest. The disciplinary response was not long in coming and included suspensions of players that will be completed next year.
But on this Sunday morning the halls faced each other: the Estudiantes footballers greeted the Racing players, and the academy returned the gesture as the champion received his medals. Even before the award ceremony, the ambient noise in the stadium was noticeably increased, apparently in an attempt to mask the insults from the profane audience who were also present before the game. Then from this stand a song sounded at the marked spot: “I am a soldier of the witch”. It was another show of support for the president and his idol, who were not present on the field but in the stands among the fans.
During the ceremony, Tapia greeted the champions individually, in some cases with a handshake and in a few, like Cristian Medina, even with a kiss. One of the coldest moments occurred between Tapia and the coach Eduardo DominguezThe He barely looked at him and briefly shook his hand., without replying a few words from the president of the AFA. After the medal presentation, the manager took a photo with a symbolic check $500,000 was donated by Conmebol and intended for the champion, who gave it to the vice president Martín Gorostegui. And finally the man from San Juan presented the trophy, which was held aloft by the captain, Santiago Ascacibarin the middle of the stage.
The coronation of the students
The scene had an inevitable contrast: while Tapia hung medals and presented the trophy, the club’s most important reference, who did not attend the ceremony, watched from the stands. But later it was part of the celebration in a special way.
Student Compact 1 (5) vs. Racing 1 (4)
Verón, surrounded by Estudiantes fans chanting his last name, said a few meaningful words. “Happiness, joy,” he replied when asked what he felt. He attributed the performance “to the work that the boys and the coaching staff have done, very good,” and when asked about the institutional background and recent sanctions, he added that the players “They found the strength to undo a moment of something very unfair”.
So on Christmas night, Verón was just a silhouette in a booth at the Madre de Ciudades stadium. From there he watched the game and the celebration without being able to go onto the field. But the players did their part: Captain Ascacibar approached the stands with the trophy so that the president could hold it up among the fans. “It was a nice gesture,” Verón told ESPN. “Some of the boys were my teammates, they put up with me at the beginning, and today they are leaders of the club. I didn’t expect it, it wasn’t necessary, but I thank them because they also kept an eye on me at that moment,” enthused the manager.
After 1:1 in regular time and extra time due to goals Adrian “Maravilla” Martinez And Guido Carrillo In the second half, the Pincharrata team won 5-4 on penalties thanks to the goalkeeper Fernando Muslera stopped the shot Gaston Martirena and a help from a post in the last one, carried out by Franco Pardo. In this way he won his 18th trophy and qualified to take part in the Libertadores Cup Next year.
The consecration of Estudiantes was accompanied by an image full of symbolic tension: Tapia, president of the AFA, rewarding the club he sanctioned. Now the Pincharrata team has a new opportunity to establish itself: next Saturday they play against the Champions trophy with plateand will try to end the year with another trophy. And another possible award for Chiqui Tapia.
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