Life after Alianza Lima: Édgar González, the intimate ex-driver who sees in La Victoria “90% chance of being champion” | INTERVIEW

Love knows no borders, distance or place. Edgar González (Itapé, 1979) arrived in La Victoria in September 2009 on loan from Estudiantes de La Plata and almost three years were enough to get into the heart of the fan, fall in love with Lima Alliance and now to be one more aliancista in the world. Paraguayan, a defensive midfielder with a strong leg and a noble heart, suffered like few others in the 2020 campaign and is now enjoying the club’s present. After seeing –and celebrating– the first final against Sporting Cristal Through a laptop and with transmission failures, he now has a dream: to be present this Sunday at the National Stadium on the return leg of the League 1 definition.

—How did you experience the first League 1 final?

I saw him here in Paraguay, a bit choppy because the weather was very ugly, with a storm. I was with my son, on a laptop, watching the game, both of them nervous and even more so because he cut himself at times. But happy both of you. Now, in the morning I was talking with Mr. Fernando Farah (NdR: member of the Blue and White Fund) and I told him that I have a dream with my son to go this weekend to see the second final. I did not have the satisfaction of winning a title with Alianza, but now he is one step away from doing so and I think he has a 90% chance of being champion.

“Incredible how Alianza ended up fighting the title in a very unusual year, right?”

Imagine what football is like. Last year, at this point, my eldest son, who has been an Alliance player since he accompanied me when I played at the club, was shedding tears for what happened. But, well, justice was served and the institution remained in the First Division. Today things are different and the fans have the satisfaction of seeing our team fight at the top again.

—You retired in 2012 due to a serious injury, but after what happened in 2020, did you have the idea of ​​returning to the club like Wilmer Aguirre did, for example?

Last year, when Alianza lost the last game and was about to play in the Second Division, some former teammates started to message each other and we all said we wanted to come back. I wanted to go and defend the shirt, but hey, I have to be realistic too. I stayed away from football not because of the years but because of a very serious injury. My return was very difficult.

“You were at the institution for three years, how do you remember it?”

In Paraguay, when they interview me or invite me to an event, what they emphasize to me the most is that I spent a long time in Alianza. And it’s true, my family and I have a very nice memory of the club. First because at that time it gave me support and work to support my family, and then because the fans were good to me. What’s more, two months ago I was in Lima and people still remember me even though many years have passed since I left. As a parent it makes me happy because that allows me to teach my son that wherever he goes he has to do things well to make a mark.

“How do you get to the club?”

I was in Estudiantes de La Plata but I was not a starter. In front of me I had Juan Sebastián Verón, a star, and Rodrigo Braña, another national team player. It was difficult for me to play and have a competitive rhythm. Worse still than at that time the coach of the Paraguayan team, Gerardo Martino, called me in a call and told me that it would be the last because in my position there were teammates who were starters. Just that week my representative told me that Gustavo Costas was at Alianza Lima, that he knew him and that he needed a flyer. He called him, they talked and thank God everything was resolved very quickly.

—You come to the club and the following year, in the first Copa Libertadores game, you face your former team. How do you remember that historic 4-1 to Estudiantes?

When we faced them, most of them were my former teammates. They came as champions of America and runners-up in the world, but we had a good preseason, very sacrificed and we did not feel less. When the game started we wanted to make a play with Héctor Sosa and their forward, the ‘Little Prince’ Sosa, guessed the play and scored a goal for us. At that moment I said: ‘here we are going to eat four or five goals.’ But it was not like that. Because of the quality of players we had like Wilmer Aguirre who had his best night, the hunger to get ahead and, above all, the fans who never stopped encouraging us.

—That game had one of the best receptions for a Peruvian club in the Copa Libertadores. Did you experience something similar in your career?

I always say that I am blessed to have played football and in big clubs. In Paraguay I was in Cerro Porteño and Olimpia, in Argentina I played for Estudiantes de La Plata and in Peru for Alianza Lima. It is very difficult to compare them, but in Alianza there was a plus with people, they infected you at all times. I think it’s because of the stadium. In Matute you have the stands attached to the field, the fan is with you, a few meters away, and he sits down. Here, in the New Pot of Cerro Porteño, it is more open, the same in the Single Student Stadium it is the same. Matute is like La Bombonera de Boca Juniors.

-Why?

For the same reason that I tell you, that you have the fan next to you. That to me was 50 percent the reason we were able to get up. Imagine, not a minute had passed and we were losing 1-0 to the last Libertadores champion. With the squad they had it was impossible that we could draw or beat them, but we did.

—That Cup is also remembered for the match against U de Chile in Santiago, with the referee validating a goal in an advanced position that minutes before he had annulled

Yes, it is difficult to remember that match. That time there was no VAR, but perhaps now with technology that goal was annulled. We lacked hierarchy, experience at that time. When their goal was annulled, their bench went to press the line and we were left standing without doing anything. There we had to go to support the referee but we stayed. If it wasn’t because of the referee’s inability, I don’t know, I’m not telling you to win, but if we passed that key we could get a little more. We had a great team.

“How was the dressing room after the game?”

When we entered the dressing room, the teacher Gustavo Costas was on fire, he did not want to know anything at all. We started screaming, we were very upset by what happened. But beyond that bitter moment, I was surprised that on our return to Peru people went to the airport to greet us as if we had become champions. It was the most beautiful thing that I could live in my football life. The fans, for Alianza, is very important.

– Speaking of the fans, how much did and will influence the presence of the public in the League 1 finals?

Pretty. The fans of Alianza will influence a lot. The classics, and more if they are final, are played before and during the game. In this regard, the people of Alianza are characterized by encouraging and motivating. In this special moment, with the team in a key week, the fan has to make them feel that support, show that Alianza is the best and the greatest in Peru.

—You played with Wilmer Aguirre in 2010, did you expect him to be a figure this year at the club?

I was totally surprised. When they hired him I was happy for the hierarchy he has, for the experience also to be a leader in a difficult moment. But, I’m honest, I had no hope that he could be one of the figures on the team. I always say that the years are not in vain, but Wilmer is a professional who takes care of himself and loves the institution very much.

—At 38 years old, he has some piques that remind us of that Libertadores of 2010 …

Yes. There is a play against Alianza Atlético that reminded me of his goal against Estudiantes. A few months ago we made a video call with José Carlos (Fernández), ‘Yuyo’ (Salomón Libman), ‘Pato’ (Henry Quinteros) and Wilmer. There we said: ‘Little fox, please, take care because your years do not give you to make those waist plays, at any time you can stay in a wheelchair, hahaha.

—You also played with Hernán Barcos, the figure of the first final

I know Hernán from when he was with me in Guaraní. Because of what he did in Brazil, being a figure there, knowing that the Brazilian player is the best playing soccer, I had no doubt what he could give Alianza. Be a figure and a positive leader.

—Alianza won the first final and is in the same situation as in 2011. That year they beat Juan Aurich in Chiclayo, but the title got out of hand in Lima, what happened?

Perhaps at that time experience was lacking. In the establishment we were few of the great ones and there were quite a few boys. I think he played against us. I think we were overconfident and we always have to try to stay calm and every game catch it as such. Because the final is final, the two teams are preparing to win, and not because a team has already won the first game will they be the champion. We trust ourselves, Aurich beat us 1-0 at Matute and at Nacional on penalties. This Alliance has players of hierarchy and they must enter the field and do what they have been doing since the beginning of the tournament.