Damage control: reinstated Arboleda posts video saying sorry | OneFootball

Reinstated to the São Paulo squad this Tuesday (23), center-back Arboleda posted a video on his social media tonight in which he apologizes to the fans and admits he was wrong.

“Tricolor fan, this message is for you, for my teammates, the board, and everyone at São Paulo. I know I made a mistake, and I’m here to own it, apologize, and seek a new opportunity. I went through difficult times and didn’t act well, but this is a story that has already lasted nine years and I don’t want it to end like this,” he said.

“For a few months now, I’ve been going through a bad personal moment. I have nothing against the board, my teammates, or the fans. I was practically going through a period of depression. No one knows that because I never told anyone, and I think that was my mistake too. I shut myself away alone in my room, I didn’t even tell my family. I’m here to explain why I made the decision to disappear for almost a month. It happened very fast: I finished training here, I was called up for the game against Cruzeiro, but when I got home I felt so alone that I decided to leave. I wanted to disappear, I didn’t want to play football anymore. I just wanted to get back to my hometown,” he added.

Watch the full video below.

THE CASE

Arboleda is back at São Paulo.

After being sidelined and training separately from the squad since May, following nearly a month missing after abandoning the club, the 34-year-old Ecuadorian center-back was reintegrated into the squad this Tuesday (23).

He will be cleared to resume training with the group in the coming days and will once again be an option for coach Dorival Júnior for the rest of the season.

The decision was made this morning. According to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, Arboleda met with the squad and CT staff, apologized for the act of indiscipline, and was met with applause. Yes, the center-back was applauded and celebrated by his teammates, even after letting them down.

That was the cue Rafinha—currently serving as the temporary head of São Paulo’s football department—needed to seal the forgiveness of the player and convince president Harry Massis to grant it, after it had been refused by the dismissed Rui Costa and defended by Dorival, who was desperate due to the lack of options in the team’s defensive sector.

Quite a turnaround for someone who was on the verge of having his contract terminated for just cause.

Arboleda had been carrying out activities at alternate times and away from the squad since early May, after a period of nearly one month of unexcused absence. The suspension came after the player failed to report for the match against Cruzeiro on April 4 and traveled to Ecuador without the board’s approval.

Change in stance and shortage in the position

São Paulo’s top brass had initially ruled out the player’s return. During Dorival Júnior’s introductory press conference, then football executive Rui Costa publicly stated that the defender would not be reintegrated. However, the executive’s dismissal, made official last weekend, changed the situation behind the scenes and made the center-back’s return possible.

Since taking charge of the team, Dorival Júnior had not opposed the Ecuadorian’s reintegration. Given absences and physical problems in the defensive sector, the coach was already internally considering the possibility of using the player.

Loss of space and market interest

Before the act of indiscipline, Arboleda had lost his place in the starting team under former coach Roger Machado. The center-back’s last appearance among the starting 11 was on March 1, against Palmeiras, in the Campeonato Paulista. His last official match was on March 21, also against the green-and-white rival, in the Brazilian Championship, when he came on during the game.

During the period in which he was sidelined, the defender attracted interest from other teams on the national scene. São Paulo even received an official loan offer from Vitória, but rejected the financial terms offered. Rival Santos also showed interest and made inquiries about the player, but the talks did not develop into a definitive deal.

Clubs such as Athletico-PR, Atlético-MG, Vasco, and LDU showed interest, but only if the player were actually released by São Paulo. With that information in hand, the Morumbi club blocked his departure, the natural course amid the act of indiscipline.

It is important to stress that Arboleda’s return does not mean the end of the search for players in the position. The club understands it needs at least one more option for the sector, weakened by the sudden departure of Dória, who requested a contract termination after receiving threats from fans on social media.

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