From the hand of a veteran soccer fox, Nestor “Pipo” Gorositoin the Forest of La Plata they begin to dream of the high peaks and with a feat so many times postponed: to crown in a regular Argentine championship in which, for now, he is second to Atlético Tucumán 13 dates from the outcome and with a fixture ahead that appears plausible.
Gimnasia’s triumph on Thursday in Santa Fe versus Unión confirmed several positive elements: that it is a team with a high ground, determined, rocky and with morale through the roof.
A team, here is an essential ingredient, with a lot of thirst for victory and little fear of losing.
It seems, among other merits accumulated by Gorosito, is that of having exorcised the chronic ghosts that no less than half a dozen times conspired at inopportune moments and left the Wolf at the door of an Olympic lap.
And it’s been 91 years since the Professional Era and a single conquest: the 1994 Centennial Cup.
In a press conference that he offered a couple of weeks ago, Gorosito declared something that without going unnoticed was not attributed due importance either: words more, words less, he advocated that the Gymnastics family must deeply incorporate the idea that the football is not about suffering and suffering, that there is another possibility, more pleasant and by no means impossible, which is to dream, enjoy and celebrate.
On closer inspection, Pipo’s statement can be interpreted as a message in the form of a mantra: he spoke, in an optimistic tone, to the broad outline of the innumerable misfortunes suffered by one of the two greatest representatives of La Plata football.
Let’s examine the numbers gorosito cycle as a whole: 14 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses, with a percentage of 59 percent of the disputed points. A song to virtuous regularity.
Let us now examine the numbers in the Professional League: 8 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses, with 16 goals for, 7 against and eight games with a clean sheet.
After the halfway point of the competition, with several dates consolidated in second place, just one point behind Atlético Tucumán, he has already faced eight of the other nine teams that are in the top 10 of the championship: he lost to Atlético Tucumán and River and tied with Platense, but beat Racing, Huracán, Godoy Cruz, Patronato and Unión.
Of that batch of higher aspirations, they hardly have to deal with Argentinos Juniors on the penultimate date… and as locals.
In the Forest they will also receive Aldosivi, Independiente, Arsenal, Tigre, Boca and San Lorenzo, while they will visit Sarmiento, Newell’s, Central Córdoba, Barracas Central, Banfield and Talleres.
Meanwhile, he maintains a surprising level despite the fact that not only was he not allowed to incorporate players in the transfer book that closed two weeks ago, but shortly after the tournament began, Johan Carbonero was sold to Racing and Cristian Tarragona suffered a fracture that will marginalize him until early 2023.
Next Tuesday, at a packed stadium as discounted, Erik Ramírez, Ramón Sosa, Germán Guiffrey and the Uruguayan Brahian Alemán, an emotional standard and powerhouse of understanding and velvety left foot, will not be there either.
Despite the fact that most of the Lobo fans ask for serenity and prudence, to ward off curses and disenchantments, and because the path will be long and complex, it is already a secret bigger than the Forest itself: the gymnastic family treasures the supreme hope to consummate the greatest joy of his 135 years.
