‘Out of nowhere’: Nicolás Caprio links Chaco For Ever injuries to stress | OneFootball

In a revealing interview on the program ADN on Radio Gol 96.7, hosted by Darío Pignata, Chaco For Ever goalkeeper Nicolás Caprio described the dramatic economic and psychological situation facing the professional squad in Argentina’s second division. Between unpaid salaries, the solidarity of local shopkeepers, and the mental toll on the athletes, the goalkeeper from Santa Fe admitted he is seriously considering retirement.

Financial crisis and a “thank you” to the community

The salary delays at the Chaco-based club have left the players on edge. It was only in mid-June that they received the first part of their April wages. Faced with a lack of resources, Caprio described the group’s daily efforts to get by: “We split up into every car we can find, we pile in together so we don’t spend on gas.”

In his particular case, the situation is manageable thanks to his family support, although that is not the reality for everyone in the locker room: “I’m blessed that my wife works, and with that we cover the bare minimum, which is food and a little gas… A lot of families help the boys, others simply can’t anymore.” He also warned about the delicate housing situation some of his teammates are dealing with: “The messages from landlords are always there… With all that in your head, you still have to come to training.”

Amid this difficult situation, the goalkeeper highlighted the key role of the fans and local businesses in helping them eat every day:

“We have a butcher who sponsors the club… Gustavo, the butcher, tells me, ‘Come by, no problem, don’t worry, you can pay me when you have it.’ And without that generosity from the people, from the fans, who help us out a little, day-to-day life would be much harder.”

Psychological stress and unusual injuries

The instability in club leadership and the constant coaching changes — following the departures of Ricardo Pancaldo and Pedro Dechat, and while waiting for Raúl “Chango” Cravero to formally take over — have created a climate of deep sporting frustration. Caprio explained how worries outside football directly affect the players’ physical health:

“My wife is a psychologist, so she says there is psychological stress that affects you, that the body somatizes… There have been such unusual injuries this year that you say, if this isn’t stress, it’s nothing else… The player prepares, he’s a professional, he warms up, he does everything, but then he gets injured out of nowhere, he just gets injured.”

Wear and tear pushing him toward retirement

At 37 years old and with a long career that includes time in international football, the goalkeeper admitted that the mental side is tipping the balance toward the end of his time as a professional player: “I’m seriously talking with my wife about these being the final months of my career because there is wear and tear that isn’t physical… It’s simply mental exhaustion, you know? Coming to a place, the situations, the tears of teammates who don’t have money to pay, who are being evicted and all that, it just keeps adding up year after year, and it’s hard to cope with.”

Chaco For Ever will face Colón at home this Saturday, in a context where the squad is trying to block out the debts and turn their current sporting situation around on the field.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.