Captain out, ‘false’ lead: changes at Estudiantes, Flamengo foes | OneFootball

Estudiantes (ARG) have major changes compared to the team that lost to Flamengo last year

By: Pedro Paulo Catonho

Flamengo will return to La Plata. The stage for the thrilling Copa Libertadores quarterfinal clash last year, the city will host another Estudiantes (ARG) vs. Mengão this Wednesday (29), in the third round of Group A. Just like the Rubro-Negro, the Argentinians also changed coaches from one year to the next.

To understand all the changes at Estudiantes, Coluna do Fla spoke with journalist Martín Cabrera from the La Plata outlet ‘El Día.’ The reporter highlighted the departures of coach Eduardo Domínguez (now at Atlético-MG) and former captain Santiago Ascacíbar as significant losses. In addition, another key member of the squad is still at the club, but ‘with his mind elsewhere.’

WHAT WERE ESTUDIANTES’ ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES?

— Besides Domínguez and Ascacíbar, they lost Cristian Medina, who went to Botafogo. Also Román Gómez, who went to Bahia. Santiago Arzamendia left as well, the left-sided player from the Paraguay national team, who tore his cruciate ligaments and will be out for seven or eight months recovering. Some players arrived: Eros Mancuso, on loan from Fortaleza. Adolfo Gaich also arrived, a striker who came from Russia, but he hasn’t been performing well —, Martín began.

— Tomás Palacios also arrived, a center back on loan from Inter. He’s good. But from midfield forward, there’s nothing new. They’re the same players, with the particular issue that Edwin Cetre, who used to be a key piece, is in very poor form. He’s doing badly after his move to Athletico-PR and Boca Juniors fell through. He took it very badly and is not a starter —, he added.

WHAT HAPPENED TO CETRE?

As the journalist pointed out, Cetre was one of Estudiantes’ key players last year. So much so that he caught the attention of Boca Juniors and Athletico-PR. In fact, the player even arrived in Curitiba to sign with the Paraná club, but medical exams found knee and heart problems, which caused the winger to return ‘disheartened’ to the La Plata team.

DOES LEADING THE ARGENTINE LEAGUE NOT IMPRESS?

Estudiantes lead Group A of the Argentine league with 28 points from 15 matches. The La Plata club has eight wins, four draws, and three losses. Despite sitting top of the table, the team has not been convincing in the competition, according to Martín Cabrera.

— They are leading the Argentine league, but you have to understand that it’s a very mediocre championship. There are two groups of 15 teams, and many sides are at second-division level. A run of three wins can put you at the top. Domínguez had already left the team in first place. You shouldn’t judge by the table position, at least not in Argentina —, he said.

HOW DOES ESTUDIANTES PLAY UNDER THE NEW COACH?

In February this year, Eduardo Domínguez resigned from Estudiantes to take over Atlético-MG. In fact, the coach came under pressure in Belo Horizonte after Flamengo’s 4-0 thrashing last Sunday (26), in the Brasileirão.

To replace ‘Barba,’ Estudiantes hired Alexander ‘Cacique’ Medina, formerly of Internacional in Porto Alegre. While Domínguez’s La Plata side was extremely reactive, defensive, and waited for opponents’ mistakes, the current reality is a bit different.

— They seem different to me. Domínguez’s team looked more like the one that played against Flamengo (in last year’s Libertadores). It was a team that, at times, had greater defensive solidity. This team attacks more; it seems more vertical to me, more attacking under Medina. It is more inclined to make the game happen. Domínguez’s wasn’t really like that. It was more inconsistent at times, but that Domínguez team was extremely effective —, the journalist commented.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER POINTS FROM THE INTERVIEW?

Flamengo and Estudiantes de La Plata face each other from 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) this Wednesday (29), at Jorge Luis Hirschi Stadium. Mengão lead Group A with six points. The Argentinians are second with four. Independiente Medellín (COL), with one, and Cusco (PER), with zero, complete the group. Check out other highlights from Coluna do Fla’s interview with Martín Cabrera.

MOBILIZATION SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR?

“It’s not the same level of excitement as last year, there isn’t as much anticipation, nor the same emotion as there was the other time. Everything is calmer. Autumn has really set in here, it’s cold, and it will be very cold on Wednesday. The temperature dropped to single digits, nine degrees. We’ll have a sellout crowd, but it’s nothing like the atmosphere last time.”

DOMÍNGUEZ IS UNDER PRESSURE AT ATLÉTICO-MG. WOULD HE BE WELCOME BACK?

“The press still follows Domínguez, but he is already history. The fans have turned the page on Domínguez. They no longer miss him. And no, I don’t believe it (that he will return one day). I don’t think he’ll come back because the directors here were not happy with Domínguez’s departure. From one day to the next. It was like a breakup. It was like when a girlfriend leaves you from one day to the next. I can’t imagine Domínguez in Estudiantes’ orbit in the short term. Not even if Medina continues like this, more or less okay. In Argentina, in two weeks, the playoffs begin, which are straight knockout rounds. And the Copa Libertadores match will fall in the middle of one of those playoff knockout ties.”

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