Nassib Neme: ‘Our goal is to win the Copa Sudamericana, but without giving priority to LigaPro’ | Football | sport-

In Argentina, Emelec will resume its participation in the South American Cup 2021 this Thursday with a visit to Talleres de Córdoba, as part of Group G. It is not just the start of the international electric season in a tournament that aims to “Play the game. final “, Nassib Neme revealed in this newspaper more than a month ago. It also implies the start of a series of matches for the millionaires in the Conmebol match and in the LigaPro.

And if in 2021 Emelec’s other desire is to be “champion” of the country, as the Shipyard team president also revealed, how the team led by Ismael Rescalvo will meet the two challenges. This Thursday afternoon, at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium, begins a sequence of “thirteen meetings in 45 days,” stressed the Spaniards.

Then, on Sunday it’s time to visit Orense for the tenth round of LigaPro and 72 hours later (April 28) you will receive Bragantino for the Sudamericana. The Shipyard Classic is scheduled for Saturday May 1 and on May 5, the calendar sets a cup trip to Colombia to take on Deportes Tolima. Will Emelec have to give priority to one of the two competences?

This is what Neme replied to EL UNIVERSO: “Emelec does not give priority to one of the two tournaments. In fact, at the discretion of the coaching staff and the board of directors, there is a staff for both matches at the same time. As a result, the technical lead against Orense will present the team they think is best suited to win that match. This is a sport for athletes rather than jugglers with the ball and without a doubt those who are in the best physical and mental condition will be the ones who will consider Rescalvo ”.

The manager was asked what he considers the best way to defend the LigaPro leadership achieved by his club on the previous date. Neme reflected: “In the second phase of 2020, Emelec stayed between the first and second place during the second semester. In the end we lost the podium by one point. In 2021, the team was in first or second place in the initial phase all year round. Something suggests the team with that performance and results for almost a year in a row. Outside noise is just that: negligible noise. Our big goal is to win the Copa Sudamericana, but we are not going to prioritize it over the national championship. Not really”.

The arbitration and the next classic

Neme, who was a millionaire champion 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 activity, in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 (as the holder of Emelec), also called arbitration. Are you concerned about the judges’ constant mistakes (some mistakes are definitely successful)?

His answer was, “We live with those mistakes. We know that in many games points were lost due to referee errors, but we didn’t cry. Emelec must be mentally prepared to overcome such setbacks. The VAR is an obligation in our football, not only as a technological tool that allows referees to make decisions without the stress and fear of being wrong, but also to restore credibility to the tournament, ”from LigaPro.

Finally, Neme spoke about the duel against the bullfighters, second in the table today. Could the classic be decisive? “The result will be very important for both teams, but before the Classic for us, the match with Talleres has a special importance, in Argentina, for the South American. In the national tournament, not only Emelec and Barcelona play the first leg. Independiente, Liga (Q) and Macará also have clear options ”. (D)