Under this scenario, the worst scenario is the most likely for the celestials. Cristal would record his third consecutive year without becoming a national champion and that has now been classified as a failure. The discomfort is present, there is annoyance in the players and a self-criticism about what happened is necessary. And while that happens, the search for those responsible does not stop: coach, players and even Innova, who directs the reins of the institution, share the blame for the unmet objectives.
The technician
When bad results happen, the one who puts his chest before the criticism is the coach. Tiago Nunes assumed responsibility for him after the defeat against Cienciano in Cusco, but he was emphatic in saying that this result is not what keeps him away from the Clausura. âOur difficulties at the end of the tournament do not come from what we did today (Sunday), but from games where we had the chance to win and it didnât happen that way, like against Boys and UTCâ, said the DT. However, for a team that is a candidate for the national title, it is key to get good results as a visitor in difficult places.
For example, in his three visits to Cusco, Cristal lost two games and tied one. That is, he added one point out of nine possible. And that figure contrasts with that of Universitario in the same city. The creams added three units out of a possible nine, the product of three ties. They did not lose when they visited the Cusco clubs and there lies the difference compared to the celestial ones. It was difficult for Nunes to play at height, he did not find a way to be effective nor the balance when it was his turn to defend. In the imperial city he scored five goals and conceded nine.
Players
Every team that aims to be a champion needs its players to maintain consistency throughout the season. Cristal got as close as she could to that, but not everyone was on the same level. Soccer players like IgnĂĄcio, YotĂșn, SolĂs, ChĂĄvez and Lora were the highlights of the team; while other elements such as TĂĄvara, Sosa, Hohberg, Corozo were questioned for their poor performance. However, there are also players who did not make a difference when it was their turn to play, such as Ugarriza, Ascues, Ăvila, among others. There was an imbalance, an imbalance that Nunes could not equal when necessary.
Likewise, players like Grimaldo and Brenner, both starters, had ups and downs that were difficult for them to overcome along the way. The Peruvian winger, for example, scored 6 goals in 31 games and his performance helped him reach the national team; but then he suffered a decline that was noticeable on the field. For his part, the Brazilian forward is the top scorer from Rime with 12 goals in 29 games; However, more was expected of him, especially when compared to the â9â of the other teams fighting for the title (Alex Valera has 14 goals and HernĂĄn Barcos 16). For a club like Cristal, that figure does not meet the fanâs expectations. More is needed.
Directive
Part of the responsibility also points to the board headed by Innova Sports and the hiring it made to assemble this yearâs squad. Although they were right with the signings of IgnĂĄcio, not all of them were like that. Brenner, Ugarriza and Pasquini are among those most questioned about his performance. They even did not make any hires when JesĂșs Castillo left the team to go to Portugal. There was austere management on the part of the leadership for reinforcements and that led to a lack of resources for the DT. The squad was reduced, there was no bench and Cristal fought with what he had. He went as far as he could, but it wasnât enough.
And that does not come from now, because Innova took over the club at the end of 2019 and since then there has been a regression in terms of sporting successes: in 2020, with the base of the team from the previous year, Cristal became national champion; but from then on he did not win the Peruvian soccer title again. He was a finalist in 2021, a semifinalist in 2022 and now it is likely that he will not even make the playoffs. So, this tendency is a sign that something is not going well and decisions need to be made. For now, the light blues have to close the season with a home victory and think about what 2024 will be like. Recovery is the only option.
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