The options that met the consensus of the San Lorenzo
leadership
were exhausted.
And all roads lead to Leandro Atilio Romagnoli
as the natural replacement for
Ruben Darío Insua
as coach. Pipi had expressed his desire to take advantage of the opportunity and president
Marcelo Moretti
is willing to grant him his wish.
In Boedo they were waiting for a definitive response from
Nicolás Larcamón
. The 39-year-old Argentine coach who was recently fired from Cruzeiro had already expressed the difficulty of immediately taking over at Ciclón (he has not yet resolved his legal departure from the Brazilian club) but he had agreed to notify his decision as soon as possible.
Finally came his refusal.
This left the way clear for the former player and idol of the Barça institution, with which as a player he won three international titles: Copa Mercosur 2001, Sudamericana 2002 and Libertadores 2014. This is how Moretti and Néstor Ortigoza (member), who command the team, agreed. club football.
There was also one last option that was ruled out this Wednesday. It was the
Colombian Juan Carlos Osorio
, most recently at Athletico Paranaense. The leaders met with him, but, beyond respecting his career, they considered that it was not the time for a foreigner who had never coached in Argentine soccer. Previously, the first ones signed up,
Luis Zubeldía and Gabriel Heinze
, had fallen by the wayside
, who prioritized offers from abroad.
Romagnoli's profile, although it was not among the priorities after Insua's departure, fits with the search for a young coach, with the idea of a more daring game, one that has group management and looks towards the youth players.
El Pipi is 43 years old and since 2022 he has been in charge of the Reserve.
Their harvest so far was 44 wins, 22 draws and 33 losses in 99 games (51 percent effectiveness). He knows the kids and knows who is ready to make the jump to First Division and who needs more time.
Another issue that Moretti and company weigh is his back as a symbol of the club. They understand that he is the top figure and that this gives him sufficient authority in front of the locker room.
Romagnoli has also accumulated a total of 7 games as interim. In 2020, when he was part of the Technical Secretariat along with Hugo Tocalli and Beto Acosta, he directed three and won all three, in 2021 he won two and lost one, while last Saturday he equaled in Santiago del Estero against Central Córdoba.
Now, it seems his turn has come to put on the first team jersey once again, but now as a confirmed coach. And his first big commitment will be, no less, next Tuesday in Uruguay against Liverpool for the Libertadores. In any case, his officialization could wait until the
Galician
's separation is signed , something that is in the hands of the lawyers of both parties.
Pipi will be supported by
Gonzalo Prósperi and Marcelo Alvarez
, while
Gabriel Ruiz
will be the physical trainer. It is not ruled out that someone else joins the coaching staff. The intention is to ratify it at least until the end of the year, although in this blessed football, it is known, everything always remains in the hands of the results.