Julián Andrés Santa
Football Friday in the Perla del Otún. Starting at 8:15 p.m., Deportivo Pereira debuts in the first semester of the Colombian League 2024, hosting Deportivo Cali at the Hernán Ramírez Villegas stadium. It will be the official debut of Leonel Álvarez with the red and yellow institution where he has gone step by step, first as a footballer, then as an assistant and now as a coach.
With a sense of belonging
At a press conference, the Antioquia coach spoke about what he is looking for in the formed group. “We have always liked to have organized, intense teams, with players on the flanks, that generate good football, a team that, regardless of the result, the attitude is priceless. We want a team with commitment, with a sense of belonging. I like to have players who sing it in the anthem and that’s what we want, a happy team that competes and is aggressive in both areas.”
The fans put it ‘rice’
“We want to give many triumphs to a fan that deserves a lot of respect, a lot of admiration, in the presentation when you listen to them and get angry, you are already connected with that fan, so there is a commitment not only with us as leaders of the group, but also with all these guys to go out and generate very good feelings.”
“I arrive more mature”: Leonel
“In the presentation I said it, you close your eyes and many years pass, I came to play first, then with Don Álvaro I had the opportunity to be the head of the group as a coach, I told him that at the time I was not prepared and that I could serve as an assistant. He told me that he was ready and that he gave me all the confidence, I was assistant to Hugo Castaño and then to Hugo Gallego. It was and I will prepare myself and I will arrive more mature, in the journey of all these years we have been able to be champions, it is nice but to achieve achievements you have to work a lot.”
About the group formed
“We have youth with experienced players, we have very talented players like Darwin, Yesus, Faber who have to give us very good feelings because of his speed because of what he showed in Huila but this is Pereira and we have to demand much more from him. Piedrahíta’s thing draws our attention, it seems to us that he is an extraordinary player and in saying that they also have to play well today, well tomorrow and well the day after tomorrow, we must be renewing the victory”, points out the coach.
Franklin with all the confidence
In goal as the starter tonight will be Franklin Mosquera, a youth player who appreciates all the support received by Leonel. “The teacher made me understand that I had a lot of confidence, that I was an important pillar in that idea of the game, that I played fast, that I was very attentive to the players that we left behind, that I put a lot of intensity and leadership from the back. , is the role I play in the idea of the teacher.”
The job will keep him in the eleven
“I have been a goalkeeper who has gone from less to more here in the institution and obviously something that I have always said, what is going to revalidate me and keep me there fighting for first place is going to be my job, my desire to improve every day. I think a professor came along who has seen that and has given me the confidence to be a starter and I will be very, very supported.”
“Opportunity to start off on the right foot”
“This project started on December 1, we have prepared ourselves in the best way, there is already an idea embodied, obviously we have to strengthen it, there are missing players but the confidence that teacher Leo has given us is great. Today is going to be a great game, we start here at home with our people and it is a nice opportunity to start on the right foot.”
“I’m just another fan”
Adds Franklin Mosquera: “Since last year I have seen the support they have had for me, I think they have had the opportunity to see my work because overnight they are not going to say that Franklin Mosquera deserves the opportunity. I think they have witnessed my process, that I have gone from less to more and I am grateful to them for continuing to support us, I am another Deportivo Pereira fan and I will give my all on the field.”