Ricardo Zielinski after taking Belgrano into the Apertura final | OneFootball

The coach backed his players’ performance throughout the tournament and responded to the criticism received during the campaign. “We never give up. Some were saying we didn’t want to win a match so we wouldn’t have to play against Talleres. We went up against a lot of things that, honestly, piss you off a little,” he said at a press conference.

The Pirata coach highlighted the collective strengths that allowed the team to come from behind in La Paternal and force the decision to penalties. “I get the feeling that the team has always shown personality, a sense of belonging, and a strength that is always very close to the people. We were up to the match,” he said. He also stressed the historic importance of playing the decisive match in his province: “The boys gave everything they had. The people of Córdoba are finally going to see a final. There’s a bond with the fans, we feel all their support.”

When asked about River, their opponent in the final next Sunday, May 24, whom he faced in the 2011 Promotion playoff, Zielinski avoided stirring controversy over the historical background of the matchup. “You don’t get to choose your opponent; we like playing good matches. It will be a nice, intense game and, above all, an even one like all matches in Argentine football. It’s an important match, one we’ve been waiting for a long time, and we hope to give the fans something to celebrate.”

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