One of the winningest players in the history of National Athletic es Alexis Henriquez, the samarium who is preparing himself in group management and reinforcing his knowledge as a coach, spoke with FOOTBALL about how she lives League final I-2022in which the purslane face the Sports Tolima and they will take the series to Ibagué with a 3-1 advantage.
Alexis, how do you see this final?
AH: The first game was very good, Nacional was forceful in the options it had. He has that great fortune that is needed in football, knowing that the second leg will be difficult, because Tolima has nothing to lose, they are going to take risks, look for the match with great players.
Did it remind you of that 2018 League final, where you were part of the team?
AH: About that 2018, the same thing happened to Tolima as to Nacional at that time, the cake was turned around, as they say out there (laughs). They started out winning and then Nacional turned it around like they did four years ago.
Now as a spectator, what do you feel when you see the full Atanasio, live that atmosphere from the gallery?
AH: The atmosphere is spectacular, as is always the Atanasio. It is one of the stadiums where the fans are always noticed, the pressure is noticeable, they have achieved it for many years and this game was no exception, the Nacional fan is perfect for that encouragement, the players feel it on the pitch and greatly influences the result. This fan wins titles.
You were part of that 2013 team that was champion as a visitor against Santa Fe. Do you think that Nacional will be weighed by the pressure from Tolima, this Sunday in Ibagué?
AH: The Nacional player does not suffer from fear or pressure. He is used to playing every three days or every week with pressure, because an average of 25,000, 30,000 people go to Atanasio. Nacional will play anywhere in Colombia and South America without pressure. What yes, is that Tolima from the first minute will go out looking for a goal that will put them back in the series, hopefully the team manages to control the game, because that is what has to be done. Nacional must have the ball and the game is dead, in soccer you play with only one ball and if you don’t lend it to Tolima and with that, they will suffer.
In this squad there are several of your former teammates and the coach Hernán Darío Herrera who directed it, what do you think of the Muleteer? Did he talk to them?
AH: There is a good relationship with the teacher (Hernán Darío Herrera), I have known him for a long time, there are players on the team who were with me on the team, I know them. I was lucky enough to speak with several, I congratulated them and stressed that this is not yet won, this is football and history says that anyone can change any result. The mood changes in milliseconds. They must go out and play the game as if the series were tied. If they are confident with the 2-0, football can give them a bad pass. Hopefully they can win the title, because there are several boys who have suffered a lot in Nacional, they are a little bit away from achieving something very important.
Tell us about your current situation, what is your daily routine like?
AH: My day starts early in the morning, I get up to play sports, when I have the opportunity to take my son, I take him and look for him, he also has his transportation and one understands that he wants to share with his little friends. Then I watch soccer a little, watch training sessions that many coaches gave me. I analyze, debate, read a lot, learn from the game, training myself, for when the time comes, be well prepared.
What style of play does ‘Profe’ Alexis Henríquez like?
AH: The style that I like is that of proposing, going out to play, it is what I like and how I want to plan each game of my teams. They are all different and require modification. Football is not just defense or attack, it is a collective game, not individual. You have to work the whole game together, then things can happen, like the defense is well stopped and they come to kick you from outside, the goalkeeper makes a mistake and they mark you. You have to have balance, have the ball and take advantage of it to score, when you don’t have the ball, you have to defend and try to get it back”.
Finally, what do you feel two years after leaving active football? What do the fans of Nacional tell you?
AH: We are always footballers, the Nacional fan is very special, they remember me. They make me feel very happy every time they see me in the stadium and on the street. Grateful to all the fans of Nacional for that affection, that love.
Juan Camilo Alvarez Serrano
FUTBOLRED correspondent
Medellín
En Twitter: @juanchoserran8
