Coach Holan praises Cerro Porteño's resilience amid sparse crowd

Cerro Porteño coach Ariel Holan lauded his team's attitude following their home victory over Sportivo Luqueño, a match played under the unusual circumstance of a sparsely populated stadium. Holan stressed the critical role of fan support, describing the crowd as akin to having an "extra player" on the field.

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For us, the fans are like playing with an extra player, and today the fans were not there. So, emotionally warming up in a match where the night is cold was a very big merit of the team: to be able to abstract themselves from that situation, which is key for us, because it pushes a lot, it pushes like crazy and, I insist, it is an extra player, it's like entering the field with twelve.

"For us, the fans are like playing with an extra player, and today the fans were not there," Holan stated. "So, emotionally warming up in a match where the night is cold was a very big merit of the team: to be able to abstract themselves from that situation, which is key for us, because it pushes a lot, it pushes like crazy and, I insist, it is an extra player, it's like entering the field with twelve."

The Argentine strategist commended the squad's personality for overcoming the lack of vocal support. "The team was not cold, it started with everything, it overcame that situation of motivation that the support and warmth of your people gives you," he explained. Holan noted this resilience as a distinctive trait, demonstrating the team's ability to "warm up engines without the enthusiasm that generally comes down from the stands and the stands."

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The team was not cold, it started with everything, it overcame that situation of motivation that the support and warmth of your people gives you.

Holan, accustomed to the demands of elite clubs, asserted that the team met the required standards. "I was born in a very demanding club, so I am used to it and you have to be up to par. Today we were up to par footballistically for what I just said, not only because the team was emotionally plugged in, but also because we were more solid than the previous two games in all areas of the defensive system."

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I was born in a very demanding club, so I am used to it and you have to be up to par. Today we were up to par footballistically for what I just said, not only because the team was emotionally plugged in, but also because we were more solid than the previous two games in all areas of the defensive system.

He further analyzed the tactical performance, pointing to the midfielders' contributions to scoring as crucial for securing the win. "And we were also solid in the offensive system: it's not about accumulating forwards, nor that if you play with two forwards you are more offensive; it's about having midfielders like Morel, who reached the area and scored a great goal from the edge of the area, and arrived at the goal line and converted. So, I think there were many important things for the future in the key aspects that a team must have, and many important conclusions that help make better decisions."

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And we were also solid in the offensive system: it's not about accumulating forwards, nor that if you play with two forwards you are more offensive; it's about having midfielders like Morel, who reached the area and scored a great goal from the edge of the area, and arrived at the goal line and converted. So, I think there were many important things for the future in the key aspects that a team must have, and many important conclusions that help make better decisions.