The six goalkeepers who said no to Mansilla becoming champion :: Olé

Mansilla was key. The goalkeeper was the highest point for Estudiantes in a final in which the Vélez kids proved to be up to the task for almost 80 minutes. Despite the energy of the young people, Eduardo Domínguez’s team ended up winning the League Cup and in large part he owes it to Matías Mansilla, who saved five of the ten penalties that were kicked against him between the semifinals and the final. But long before this, the bond between Estudiantes and Mansilla had begun thanks to the refusals of half a dozen goalkeepers.

To understand the history of Matías Mansilla in Pincha, we must go back to the end of 2023. At that time, Estudiantes had become champion of the Argentine Cup and, after the title, Mariano Andújar, León’s historic goalkeeper, made the decision to hang up his gloves. After the loss of the experienced goalkeeper who was champion of the 2009 Libertadores under Alejandro Sabella, the CD began the operation in search of a guardian for the three suits.

Since then the dance of names was abysmal. The first to appear was Gabriel Arias, the Racing goalkeeper, who seemed to be at a disadvantage before the arrival of Facundo Cambeses., was tempted by the leadership and, despite the fact that Juan Sebastián Verón and company made an offer, he decided to stay in Avellaneda. After the Chilean refused, Pincha went for him Ruso Rodríguez, who had just had a great year at Godoy Cruz. And although there were advanced conversations, the former Independiente goalkeeper decided to go to Argentinos Juniors.

After the frustration of both negotiations, Estudiantes went in search of an almost impossible dream, but one in which they had some possibilities: Gerónimo Rulli, world champion goalkeeper in Qatar 2022. Given the little continuity he was having at Ajax and the lack of offers in the Old Continent, the goalkeeper’s return to Pincha seemed to be a not-so-distant possibility. But, despite several calls from Verón, Rulli decided to stay in Europe and extend his return to 1 and 57 for a couple more years.

After the frustrated negotiation with Rulli, the coaching staff began to consider the possibility of giving continuity to Fabricio Iacovich, goalkeeper of Javier Mascherano’s U-23 team. Although beyond the great trust they place in the youth, the CD continued looking for goalkeepers in the market and appeared Brayan Cortés, Colo Colo goalkeeper. And when everything seemed to be arranged for Pincha to pay the termination clause agreed upon in one and a half million dollars, Cortés backed down. and decided to stay in Chile after the Chief’s Commission offered him a contract improvement.

The options were becoming fewer and fewer, but a last chance appeared from Colombia. And the cannons were aimed at Álvaro Montero, goalkeeper of Millonarios and the Colombian team. And although CD Pincharrata approached an offer close to three million dollars, the Colombian club refused to let the goalkeeper leave.

And there Matías Mansilla appeared. After six frustrated negotiations and with the League Cup having started, it was Eduardo Domínguez’s own goalkeeper coach who pointed out the Santiago native as the ideal replacement for Mariano Andújar. In a lightning negotiation, Pincha paid close to a million dollars for the player who emerged from the Midland Inferiors, who by the second date of the championship had already worn the Pincharrata diver.

After that, everything is history. Mansilla became bigger than ever, despite being looked at askance for having to replace Andújar, and gave Estudiantes de la Plata the sixteenth title in its history.