Nassib Neme: “Our goal is to win the Copa Sudamericana, but without giving priority to the Pro League” | Football | sports

In Argentina, Emelec resumes his participation in the 2021 South American Cup on Thursday, with a visit to Talleres de Córdoba, in group G. It is not just the beginning of the international electric season in a tournament in which the aspiration is “Play the end”, as Nassib Neme revealed in this newspaper more than a month ago. It also involves the start of a series of games for millionaires in the Conmebol contest and in LigaPro.

And if in 2021 Emelec’s other wish is to “be champions” of the country, as revealed by the president of the Shipyard team, how the team led by Ismael Rescalvo will face the two challenges. This Thursday afternoon, at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium, begins a succession of “thirteen meetings in 45 days,” the Spaniards pointed out.

Then on Sunday it will be time to visit Orense for the tenth round of the Pro League and 72 hours later (April 28) to receive Bragantino for South America. Shipyard Classic is scheduled for Saturday, May 1st and on May 5 the calendar establishes a cup trip to Colombia to face Deportes Tolima. Will Emelec have to prioritize either of the two competencies?

This was Neme’s response to EL UNIVERSO: “Emelec does not give priority to any tournament. In fact, at the discretion of the coaching staff and the board of directors, there is a staff for both competitions simultaneously. Consequently, against Orense, the technical management will present the team they consider the most suitable to win that match.. This is a sport for athletes, rather than jugglers with the ball and, without a doubt, those who are physically and mentally in the best conditions will be the ones that Rescalvo will consider ”.

The manager was asked what he thought was the best way to defend his club’s LigaPro leadership. Neme reflected: “In the second stage of 2020, Emelec remained between first and second place throughout the second semester. In the end I lost the stage by one point. In this 2021, the team was on the first or second place of the initial phase all year. Something suggests the team with that performance and results for almost a year in a row. The outside noise is just that: negligible noise. Our big goal is to win the Copa Sudamericana, but we will not give it priority over the national championship. No way”.

Arbitration and the next Classic

Neme, who was champion with millionaires in his first management cycle in 1988 and 1993 (vice-president and chairman of the Football Commission, in that order) and then, after returning to work, in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 (as holder al Emelec), also referred to arbitration. Are you worried about the constant mistakes of the judges (some mistakes decided the results)?

His response was, “We live with those mistakes. We know that in many games points were lost due to refereeing errors, but we did not cry. Emelec must be mentally prepared to overcome such adversities. VAR is an obligation in our football, not only as a technological tool that allows referees to make decisions without stress and fear of making mistakes, but also to restore greater credibility to the tournament “, from LigaPro.

Finally, Neme talked about the duel against the bullfighters, today second in the standings. Can the classic be defining? “The result will be very important for both teams, but before the Classic for us, the match with Talleres is of great importance, in Argentina, for South American. In the national tournament, not only Emelec and Barcelona play the first stage. Independiente, Liga (Q) and Macará also have clear options “. (D)