Rafael Dudamel is 90 minutes away from making history with Atlético Bucaramanga. The Venezuelan coach, who assumed the technical direction of the Santander club for the BetPlay 2024-l League, has had a historic campaign and could become the first coach to give the Leopardo a star. In the first leg, his team won 1-0 with a score from Freddy Hinestroza.
In the press conference prior to the second leg against Independiente Santa Fe, Dudamel spoke about the motivation that his team has and was emphatic about the mental strength to face this type of commitment. “When the footballer feels understood as a human being, he enters the field happy and represented by his coach. “I try to treat my players the way I liked when I played.”highlighted the DT.
Furthermore, he took the opportunity to thank the support, not only of his fans, but also of the fans of other FPC teams who have expressed their good wishes for the match that will be played in El Campín. “What playing in a final means is having an entire city behind us. More than a city, we have felt that the entire country is sympathizing and supporting Atlético Bucaramanga”the Venezuelan mentioned with obvious emotion.
“A country is with Bucaramanga”
The importance of the emotional part: “I am not a teller of jokes or stories, I am very bad at that. Although in 59 years I have lived many stories, I understand that human relationships are very important and closeness, that emotional bond, that one, as a leader of a school, is in charge of managing. When the soccer player feels understood as a human being, he enters the field happy and represented by his coach. I try to treat my footballers the way I liked when I played. That coach who gave me a pat when he approached me because he already saw the bench coming, the substitution, always generated a lot of mistrust in me. “I treat my footballers with transparency, concern for human beings and treating the smallest details on the field.”
What to improve for the return match?: “Always work, correct to improve. It is a team that has a very high margin for growth, due to the way in which it has been put together, with such young players, based on experienced players like our captain, Mena, Sambueza, Fabri… we have players who give us stability and make their colleagues better. Here in Bogotá we have to control the game with the ball more, we are prepared for the circumstances of fight, friction… as the game goes on there will be more spaces.”
The motivation for the first star: “We are going to play in a final, there is no more motivation than that. What it means to play in a final is to have an entire city behind us. More than a city, we have felt that the entire country is sympathizing and supporting Atlético Bucaramanga. These are arguments that the boys have taken calmly and naturally. There is normal anxiety, we can’t wait to start playing. Our team has acquired the maturity to live with this level of demand, both in victories and defeats. The emotional demand of playing in a final is high.”
“Having the best goalkeeper in the League makes me sleep peacefully”
The go-ahead goal: “I would have loved to finish two or three ahead, but the difficulty of scoring a goal is great. Many preparation things happen in a week, the footballer has to give his all in each training session, competing internally. Great teams are the product of internal competition, I don’t usually give out the team in advance.”
The importance of Aldair Quintana: “Having the best goalkeeper in the League makes me sleep peacefully. Luis Vásquez, our alternative goalkeeper, also has a high level. Whenever they have been required to do so, they have shown great confidence. The winning goalkeepers, of international stature, are those who do not have many performances during the game, but when they intervene they win titles. Aldair’s interventions against Pereira and Santa Fe are worthy.”
How to control Santa Fe?: “For us the most important thing is our identity. Yes, control the rival, but maintain new ways. That our managers are in full condition, at a maximum level of focus. “I have no doubt that it will be a match of the highest level, in a spectacular setting between the local fans and our fans.”
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