It will be a kill or be killed encounter. The glory or the closing of the year. A true final between two of the most popular teams in San Juan. Atlético Unión and Sportivo Desamparados will define the champion of the Clausura Tournament of San Juan football in the First Division in 90 minutes. DIARIO DE CUYO brought together two of the figures to beat the meeting. Santiago Ceballos for Unión and Cristian Ramírez for Sportivo, two former players who wore the shirt they will face this Wednesday night, expressed their feelings in the run-up to a momentous duel. The two said that when it comes time to play the game, feelings about the past are put aside and the professionalism of giving everything for the shirt they have to wear prevails.
The match will be played from 9:30 p.m. at the Bicentennial and with both sides, no more and no less. Santi Ceballos expressed his optimism, highlighting the importance of having been active in the Regional Amateur and the evolution that the team has been showing. “It took us a long time to wait, the same thing happened to us in the first tournament where anxiety starts to play a little bit. Luckily we were able to win on Sunday in the Regional and I think that has also given us relief and peace of mind to face this match with all the energy and all the desire.”said Santi.
For his part, Cristian Ramírez, better known as “Kiki” arrived at Desamparados this year after having played a great season with Azul and by virtue of talent and dribbling he is one of the fundamental pieces in Víbora. The one born in the Capitán Lazo neighborhood expressed great expectations for the match where Desamparados has a lot at stake. “We are really looking forward to and expecting the game to happen now. Obviously we want to win but we also want it to be a celebration for San Juan football. We have been waiting for this final for several weeks, I think the stoppage was good for us because we came with many games in a row and this past week we were able to train well. I think we have prepared the game well for tomorrow, I hope everything turns out as we have planned,” expressed the platinum player.
Ceballos, the experienced striker from Unión, agrees that Desamparados could have benefited from the postponement of the final, taking into account that the change in the date of this match (it was to be played on Wednesday the 3rd) occurred just days after Víbora was eliminated in the Regional: “Perhaps it would have been better to play it at that moment when Desamparados had just been eliminated and take advantage of that moment. Although I think the final is good to play with both teams doing well. Many times the head also counts in this, how we come and we do well, we have been growing a lot. There are many kids from Unión who have been growing too and that is good. We have been evolving as a group, as a team, becoming stronger when things went wrong and that made us get up and stand on our feet,” said the forward.
Both teams arrive with different presents. Unión has already advanced from the Phase and will play the Third stage in the first week of January, while at Desamparados the elimination of Desamparados in the Regional had a deep impact on the squad but that is why they know that the clash against Unión for the local tournament is the incentive they need. Ramírez expressed that the team has prepared well and is motivated after eliminating Atenas on penalties. “LThe elimination in the Regional was already forgotten, the chip was quickly changed because this is football and this continues. We have a final and so let’s hope we face it in the best way. We eliminated Athens and now it’s Union that has very different characteristics, it is a great rival and there is a reason they are in the final. You have to go out and win on any court, it is a big challenge because this shirt asks you to win locally, regionally or whatever tournament.”said Kiki.
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Ceballos mentions that, despite the institutional changes, the team is united and has shown maturity in recent games. “Although institutional things have happened in the leadership, I think that the change of leadership also mobilized us because we did not expect it, but we are aware that what we have put together is a very united group of teammates, the guys who have come from outside have gotten along well and we have had a good tournament”he commented.
Facing their former teams is something that mobilizes them but does not take them out of focus. Both agreed that that past is put aside and giving one’s life for the shirt that they have to defend today is prioritized. In this, Ceballos stated that although he has deep respect for Sportivo, his club of origin, he will compete with all his heart. “Today I have to defend the colors of Unión and I am going to leave everything as I always did, I did it with Sportivo when it was my turn and in Unión too. I am not going to lose that essence that has brought me this far in my football career. I am 40 years old and I believe that effort cannot be negotiated, you just have to put your heart into it. What if I would shout the goal if I had to score against Desamparados? I wouldn’t do it, I have always had respect for Sportivo, which is my birthplace, I was born there when I was 9 years old. and it is the club that has made me everything that I am a player so I am eternally grateful, obviously for a sporting reason one wants to win it and it is one more final, you have to play it with your soul,” Santi stated.
Ramírez expressed: “Unión was my team until recently, I have a lot of love and a lot of respect for them because they let me show my football in the club, they opened the doors for me in the best way but now I owe it to Desamparado and I am going to try to leave the institution as high as possible,” the rawsino closed.
