Deportes Tolima faces a daunting challenge in the second leg of the Liga BetPlay final, trailing Junior by three goals after a tough loss in Barranquilla. Despite the uphill battle, club president César Camargo remains steadfast in his belief in his team’s ability to overcome the deficit at home on Tuesday. Camargo addressed the media on Caracol Deportes Domingo, outlining the importance of a strong showing in Ibagué and criticizing what he perceived as unfair advantages for Junior in the first match.
“It won’t be easy, but the team is committed. I believe in them blindly,” Deportes Tolima president César Camargo stated ahead of the second leg of the Liga BetPlay final, where Junior arrives with a three-goal advantage following their victory at the Estadio Metropolitano in Barranquilla.
The president expressed confidence in head coach Lucas González and his players to stage a comeback at the Manuel Murillo Toro stadium. “We’re expecting a full house if ticket sales continue at the current rate,” he said on Caracol Deportes Domingo.
Camargo admitted that a disadvantage for his team in the first leg was the strong home support for Junior at the Metropolitano, and believes the atmosphere will be different in Ibagué. “It was a match where Deportes Tolima took the field with 11 players and Junior with 12. The crowd made a huge difference – 45,000 people supporting their team really affected us. That’s why we’re confident that things will be different in Ibagué, that our fans will support us and lead us to victory,” he explained.
“Tolima has never had it easy”
The president is banking on his players and sees a committed squad ready to fight for the comeback on Tuesday. “They know we’ve put in the work all year. We’re going to give it our all, and if we’re going to go down, we’re going to go down fighting,” he declared.
He also recalled previous finals appearances, where the team secured its three league titles, asserting they’ve consistently overcome adverse results. “Tolima has never had an easy final. I don’t remember a final that *was* easy, going back to 2003 when we were losing 3-1 away to Cali, the final against Nacional in ‘93, or even the one against Millonarios during the pandemic. So, we know how to handle difficult finals.”
Turning the tie around is the only outcome president Camargo believes in, assuring that, “They (Junior) deserve their success, no one can take that away from them, and that will make achieving a comeback all the more exciting.”
Camargo’s Criticism of Teófilo Gutiérrez
“Yes, the red card was justified. What I don’t find sporting is a player entering the field solely to bother the others. I’d like to see more football and less talk,” the president said.
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Teófilo Gutiérrez entered the first leg as a substitute and in the 65th minute, after a series of shoves on Sebastián Guzmán, provoked a reaction that resulted in a headbutt. Guzmán was subsequently sent off with a red card, leaving Tolima with ten men for nearly half an hour.
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