To make history as a coach in FPC you have to pick up titles, and in this final there will be a new DT champion. This Sunday, at the El Campín stadium, Santa Fe hosts America de Cali for the second leg of the 2020 League final, in which the scarlet team arrives with the advantage of three goals overall, waiting for the approach of the cardinals, who dream of returning.
Both Cruz Real and Rivera are two coaches who have gone from less to more in Colombian professional football and that is why this year’s atypical title will leave a new champion on the list of strategies that have been established in Colombia. .
Harold Rivera
At 50, Harold Rivera, a former Colombian footballer, is one game away from lifting his first title in the first division of the Colombian League. The coach dreams of recovering from a difficult 3-0 suffered in the first leg.
Rivera joined the cardinal team in August 2019 at a difficult time for the institution. However, as a result of his good work, he overcame adversity and placed the lion in the top positions of the championship. In 2020, Santa Fe finished as the leader of all against all with 40 points, thus being the best team of the regular season.
With a past at Patriotas, Atlético Bucaramanga and Unión Magdalena (he was promoted), the strategist will look for this first title, as DT, in the first division of Colombia on Sunday.
Juan Cruz Real
On the other side of the coin is Juan Cruz Real. Born in Argentina, the former footballer who had a passing period for Millonarios in 1998 is 90 minutes away from claiming his first technical director title.
To the surprise of many, Cruz Real managed to strengthen a team amid strong criticism for his arrival. With perseverance and sacrifice, the 44-year-old strategist led the scarlet team to a new FPC final and is very close to the two-time championship and the 15th star.
After going through Alianza Petrolera and Jaguares, the gaucho strategist is excited about the League title and, despite the fact that the level with which his team qualified for the playoffs was not the best, he managed to lead America de Cali to the last instance of national championship. He is excited about the trophy.