Former Huachipato controller denies role in Universidad de Chile ownership

Victoriano Cerda, the former controller of the Huachipato football club, has categorically denied any participation in the acquisition of Azul Azul, the entity that controls the Universidad de Chile football team. Appearing as a witness before the High Complexity Unit of the Eastern Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office, Cerda stated he had no links to the Tactical Sport fund, which facilitated Sartor's takeover of Universidad de Chile in 2021.

According to reports from La Tercera, Cerda provided his testimony alongside Marcelo Pesce, a commercial engineer who was his business partner at Huachipato. Cerda recounted meeting businessman Pedro Pablo Larraín in September 2020. During this meeting, Larraín inquired about Cerda's interest in investing in a fund aimed at purchasing Azul Azul. Cerda stated his response was clear: "I told him that it was not of my interest to participate in a fund related to the football industry, as we intended to leave football in Chile."

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I told him that it was not of my interest to participate in a fund related to the football industry, as we intended to leave football in Chile.

Furthermore, Cerda directly refuted allegations made by Alfredo Harz. Harz had claimed that Cerda asked him to sign documents related to Tactical Sport and that Cerda was present at a 2024 meeting concerning the transfer of the fund's shares to Michael Clark. "What Alfredo Harz Castro claims is completely false," Cerda asserted. Pesce corroborated Cerda's account, confirming that he also had no involvement in meetings or document signings pertaining to Tactical Sport.

Both Cerda and Pesce elaborated on the operational procedures for player transfers at Huachipato, explaining that negotiations concerning Universidad de Chile were managed by the respective sporting departments. They detailed the roles of individuals like Sabino Aguad, Mario Conca, Pablo Silva, Rodrigo Goldberg, and Sergio Vargas in these processes. Cerda reiterated his denial of claims by Rodrigo Goldberg, who had publicly accused the former Huachipato controller of orchestrating the purchase of shares in Azul Azul. Cerda maintained that he never purchased a player from Universidad de Chile nor conducted direct transactions with Michael Clark.

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What Alfredo Harz Castro claims is completely false.