Cienciano coach Melgarejo blasts players after Copa Sudamericana loss

Horacio Melgarejo, the head coach of Peruvian club Cienciano, did not hold back his disappointment following his team's 2-0 defeat against Lanús in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana tie. The loss, which occurred in Buenos Aires, saw Cienciano fail to capitalize on playing with a numerical advantage for the final half-hour of the match.

Melgarejo, known for his outspoken nature, used vivid metaphors to critique his players' performance and mentality. "High heels are for quinceañeras; here you need to wear women's shoes with aluminum heels," he stated, emphasizing the need for a more competitive and aggressive approach. He contrasted his team's lack of grit with Argentine and Uruguayan teams, suggesting they possess a superior competitive spirit even after periods of inactivity.

The Argentine coach's fiery post-match press conference comes shortly after he received a one-year ban from the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) for his inflammatory comments following Cienciano's elimination from the Copa de la Liga. At that time, he had called the competition "this shitty cup" and criticized FPF president Agustín Lozano. Despite these controversies, Cienciano has reaffirmed its commitment to Melgarejo's project, with fellow Argentine Cristian Ruggeri set to manage the team on the field.