Chiqui Arce: “We are happy with the performance, but disappointed we could not win”

Francisco “Chiqui” Arce left his first match in charge of Guaraní satisfied with much of what he saw, even though the 1-1 draw with Olimpia denied his team all three points.

The new coach said Guaraní managed to apply ideas introduced during limited training, along with work on the tactics board, video and team discussions. He was especially encouraged by the players’ attitude and their ability to understand instructions quickly.

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We are happy with the performance, but a little disappointed we could not win at the end of the match.

Arce also praised the work of the previous coaching staff. He said its methods shared many similarities with his own approach, which helped the squad adapt rapidly. The coach highlighted the team’s movements when recovering possession and its attempts to exploit open space.

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In most of the match we were good.

Still, Arce stressed that Guaraní needs more work before it can deliver consistently and become a protagonist in the competition. He said the players were in good condition, accepted the proposed changes and maintained a positive atmosphere within the squad.

Guaraní went ahead through Juan Manuel García but conceded in the final stages. Arce said the team sometimes rushed its play after recovering the ball, launching attacks without a clear objective or sufficient judgment. “We are happy with the performance, but a little disappointed we could not win at the end of the match,” he said.

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We still have a lot of work to do to help them grow further and then achieve stable performances, but we have a lot of confidence in them.

He also explained his decision to use Thiago Servín as a central defender rather than a fullback. Arce said he recognizes Servín more as a defender and wanted to place players in the positions where they can perform best, including Armando Méndez and Leandro Allende at fullback.

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I recognize Thiago more as a central defender than a fullback.