Pumas was excited like a long time ago without occurrence. To his fans, before anyone else, for obvious reasons, as they had failed repeatedly in the Liguillas, and after the feat against Cruz Azul resurfaced the passion for the UNAM team, but in the Final there was a factor that condemned to cede the eighth league title to Leon: Alfredo Talavera and his ‘damn’ experience.
Andrés Lillini set up a training process ‘unintentionally’, he was not destined to be the coach who would bring Pumes back to an MX League Final. I was reading about the unexpected departure of Michel, which was minimized as the Opening 2020 season progressed.
Lillini had no experience as a first-team coach, but he did have a wide tray as a basic forces coordinator.
As his best weapon, Lillini opted for the youth of Pumas, a trite topic, but which had really been forgotten in a team that historically is based on its ideology in the integral training of the footballer.
Pumas struggled with several factors throughout the tournament, and had come out on top. But one they did not count on was the need for an emblem, a symbol, an architect who represents the leadership of this team in renewal.
Carlos González had already shown his effectiveness as a striker. And he was joined by Dinenno, who generated high competition with Paraguay and ended up making a spectacular duo in the aerial game. But the Paraguayan and the Argentine did not end up curdling like that reference, despite the fact that both are charismatic.
The rest were young. Throughout the Apertura 2020 began to highlight the central defenses Freire and Johan Vázquez, the sides Mayorga and Mozo. Iturbe, Fabio Álvarez stood out in the midfield, but also the young Vázquez, López, Lira, Gutiérrez and the ex-athlete Vigón who became captain and hero of the semifinal against Cruz Azul.
TALAVERA, THE REFERENCE
That need to find a reference began to be forged with the arrival of Alfredo Talavera. Experience, a lot of experience for a Pumas goalkeeper who had suffered constant disappointments with Pollo Saldívar.
Talavera needed 10 games to become dangerously essential. 10 games in which they attract the spotlight for their good technique under the frame, elasticity, leadership. A great contribution for a team that achieved balanced matches, with a good defensive work, organization in midfield and offensive displacement that Dinenno and González knew how to exploit and culminate.
TALAVERA, THE ESSENTIAL
Talavera grew and made the Cougars grow, proudly, patiently. The first warning that this was dangerous was on Day 11. Pumas lost his undefeated passage to León. In that match, Talavera was sent off. It entered the unknown Julio González to cover it, and its action was really heroic. Pumas lost 2-0 to Leon, but Gonzalez actually prevented a thrashing in the worst demonstration of the university so far.
González covered Talavera, punished, in Day 12 against Necaxa (1-1), and in Day 13 against America (2-2) for the call of the veteran goalkeeper to the Mexican National Team.
There was hope for Pumas. Julio González showed on these three occasions that he had a good level to prevent Pumes from depending on Talavera.
Talavera returned for Day 14 and the wins as well. The last day marked a dramatic 2-2 draw against Cruz Azul, although many focused on Talavera’s unfortunate injury in the warm-up.
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The university coach assured that he would work to maintain the same level to prove that his presence in the final of the tournament was not a coincidence.
Talavera was then presumed to have suffered an injury to the adductor muscle of his right leg, with a prognosis of recovery of four to six weeks. It seemed definite that the goalkeeper would miss the Liguilla of a tournament that had been special to him.
TALAVERA, THE MIRACULOUS
Pumas took advantage of a long break for the last FIFA date to put a little ‘pressure’, healthy to the point, to Julio Gonzalez, as it will continue to talk about a miraculous return of Talavera, you can understand the importance of his best player of the season had a chance to return to the Liguilla.
Julio González fulfilled and reached the height in the five games of Liguilla in which they covered the loss with Talavera. He complied. Point. Even in the 4-0 defeat against Cruz Azul he fulfilled, because in the game of Vuelta he had the gallantry to keep his frame at zero to concretize the miracle of the comeback. It was fulfilled in the game of Ida before Leon, in which Pumas dominated and was better than the emeralds, but a negligence in the final straight gave a very important respite him to the champions today.
THE CURSED EXPERIENCE
Unfortunately, today, knowing the result, the conviction of Lillini and Talavera is obvious, basic and simple. Lillini should not have lined up Talavera. More than a month of inactivity can not be ignored, although the coach lacks experience and wants a player to return from an injury sea the solution, when Gonzalez had shown he could with responsibility. Rewarding, consoling, compensating or respecting the hierarchy, whatever may have been Lillini’s reason for placing Talavera in goal today has Pumes with a League title less than the Lion.
It was very difficult for González not to have conceded both goals, but the circumstance would surely have been different if Pumas had not limped so early in the Vuelta Final, when Gigliotti’s 1-0 was heard in Talavera between his knee and right glove. The goalkeeper, with all his experience, did not stretch his right leg, only knelt down and entered the ball into his goal.
One day after losing the Final, Lillini justified his decision based on the experience of Talavera … A decision that in its same answer already verifies the incongruity: “I turned to Talavera for the experience, we would know that We had to aim because we are the youngest team in Mexico. “
Lillini shoots. Having the youngest team was precisely the privileged mayor of Pumas. It is not a question of crucifying Talavera. Anyone understands what a player imposes on his career and hierarchy, which can influence his teammates. But it seemed that Lillini did not think of the rival. The Lion overcame with two plays in which the defense failed, leaving ample space for the team that knows best to take advantage of them. And Talavera can’t justify his presence in the Final in a routine play in which he can’t have all his damn experience.
That damn experience condemned a large litter of Pumas to resign, because although the immediate future that Lillini predicts is pristine, rumors and stove football warn of a dismantling of the runner-up team that will hardly be able to repeat what was achieved in the Apertura 2020.