Junior from Barranquilla has been coming for several weeks in a very troubled environment. The reaction he had with the arrival of Hernán Darío Gómez to the technical direction does not seem enough to get the classification.
On Saturday, Junior drew 0-0 with Deportivo Pereira and now depends on other results to have a place in the top eight, with one date left to finish the round-robin phase.
(See here the accounts of Junior and the other applicants for the classification)
‘Bolillo’ had a reduced payroll in that game: during the week, Junior terminated the contract of Luis Fernando ‘Chino’ Sandoval, for repeated acts of indiscipline.
Alfonso Suarez. Kronos Agency
In addition, the club opened a disciplinary process against four other players: the winger Walmer Pacheco, the central defenders José Enrique Ortiz and César Rafael Haydar and the winger Ómar Albornoz.
Gómez decided not to count on them for the game against Pereira. «I discussed this issue with the managers. I made a decision, there a statement came out. I don’t know how the managers are handling the issue, but on the list that was going to start against Pereira, of the five, they were going to start four: They are no longer there. They are out of the jobs that come for Junior», said ‘Bolillo’ at a press conference.
The four players demonstrated, once they were heard by the club’s managers, that no irregularities occurred. Haydar was the one who most openly expressed it.
Junior’s final decision on the other four players
This Monday, Junior announced the final decision on the four players. The disciplinary process against Pacheco, Haydar, Ortiz and Albornoz was archived.
Junior assured that no «breach» was found and for this reason, none of the four players will be penalized and will be able to continue working normally with the professional team.
Now it is in the hands of ‘Bolillo’ the decision to have them for the crucial match against Atlético Huila, in Neiva, in which Junior is forced to win to continue fighting for the classification.
Pacheco is the one that had the most continuity: he started 15 of the 19 games that Junior played this semester. Albornoz appeared in 10 games, 4 as a starter, and scored two goals.
For their part, Ortiz and Haydar were alternatives. The first played nines, eight as a starter, and the second barely appeared in four games.
SPORTS