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🇦🇷 Argentina /Sports

“I’m old, but I can still handle it”: Julio César Falcioni brings down three giants and offers a lesson in life

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Atlético Tucumán coach Julio César Falcioni led his team to a 2-1 victory over Racing, adding to recent wins against Independiente and River Plate.
  • The results mean Falcioni has beaten three of Argentina’s major clubs, despite taking charge of Atlético Tucumán after an 18-month break from coaching.
  • At 70, and after serious personal and health challenges, Falcioni continues to present his commitment to football as a broader lesson in passion and perseverance.

Julio César Falcioni could hardly believe it. Atlético Tucumán had held Racing to a 1-1 draw through 90 minutes on a cold night at the Cilindro, only for the match to be extended by six minutes. The coach thought the added time was excessive.

Then Gabriel Compagnucci delivered a cross and Ramiro Ruiz Rodríguez finished from close range, punishing an inexperienced Racing defense. Both players had entered the match shortly before, in another decisive choice by Falcioni. Atlético Tucumán won 2-1, and the article argues that the margin could have been wider.

The victory completed a striking run against Argentina’s biggest clubs. On Aug. 12, Atlético Tucumán defeated Independiente 4-0 and eliminated them from the Copa Argentina round of 16. On May 3, the team beat River Plate, then coached by Chacho Coudet, 1-0 at the Monumental. Falcioni had swept aside three giants. Atlético Tucumán will now host River again, with Leonardo Ponzio in charge of a team described as renewed and winning.

I’m old, but I can still handle it.

· Julio César FalcioniThe headline presents Falcioni’s words as a statement of his continued ability and commitment at age 70.

At 70, Falcioni is portrayed as a patriarch of Argentine football. He returned to coaching Atlético Tucumán on March 4 after spending a year and a half away from the bench, while some expected him to move into an executive role. Néstor Omar Piccoli, a longtime associate, and Leandro Somoza assist him.

His story includes a serious illness, family pain and a voice that now hangs by a thread. Yet he remains present, wearing a tracksuit at training and dressing formally for matches. After a 0-0 draw with Instituto on Aug. 22, he spoke unusually openly about his team, football and life. He rejected romantic ideas about the sport and defended a style that may not please everyone. Next year, he will mark three decades of managing a squad, dating back to his time at Vélez.

We have a way of playing that some people may not like, and that is completely acceptable, but it gives us good results.

· Julio César FalcioniFalcioni defended Atlético Tucumán’s style after a 0-0 draw with Instituto.
About this summary

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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