MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Televisa network is known worldwide, among other things, for producing soap operas.
Now another is in development, but not in the registration forums but within the company’s football team, América.
The drama over who should start in the goal increases and a result seems close on the horizon.
After Guillermo Ochoa’s departure to Salernitana in Italy, perennial replacement Óscar Jiménez had a chance to step up, but inconsistent performances have the team’s fans clamoring for a switch, especially after the 3-0 loss to Pachuca on last weekend of the week.
“Individually, I never speak, I don’t know why they still ask me something that I’m not going to answer,” Argentina coach Fernando Ortiz said annoyed when asked about Jiménez’s performance.
If Ortiz gives in to the pressure, the change under the three posts could come at the weekend as America face an important game against the Tigres, for the 12th round of the Clausura championship.
“The supporters have every right to demonstrate as they wish, but I am the coach, they come rather to direct. I am calm and I know what decisions I have to make for the good of the institution”, declared the strategist .
Jiménez, 34, has conceded 14 goals, three of them with shots from outside the box and has only kept a clean sheet in two of the first 11 games and América sits sixth with 17 points.
Tigres, their next rival, are relying on their wage bill for French striker André-Pierre Gignac, who has just reappeared after three weeks out from injury to bolster the fifth most productive offense in Liga MX.
To replace Jiménez, Ortiz has an option Luis Malagón, a talented 26-year-old goalkeeper who was part of the team that won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, where Ochoa started.
Malagón arrived in December from Necaxa to cover Ochoa’s departure, but Ortiz opted to give Jiménez the opportunity he had been waiting for for five years.
THE STUDENT AGAINST THE TEACHER
After failing as coach of Lobos BUAP, Querétaro and Atlas, Rafael Puente decided to take a step back and agreed to work as assistant to Brazilian coach Ricardo Ferretti, with Bravos de Juárez.
Amid a losing streak, Puente will look to outplay his teacher Ferretti to extend his tenure when the Pumas visit Cruz Azul.
The university coach was booed after last Sunday’s 4-2 loss to Puebla, the team’s fourth in their last five games.
Pumas have 11 points and are 11th, but a loss combined with other results could knock the team out of the play-off zone and could end with the patience of the leaders of a team that has not been crowned champion since. Clausura 2011.
“The variable in my head (to quit) is only suitable when I stop trusting the footballers or myself or the coaching staff, and at least today that option is far from it in my opinion. “, said Puente on Sunday.
Ferretti, who said he had offers to lead the Pumas in December but rejected them, now leads a Cruz Azul who have just lost 3-1 to Mazatlán, the last of the tournament.
La Máquina is also in a hurry to win because it has 10 units and is 12th, last place for the playoffs.
In the other matches: San Luis-Querétaro, Puebla-Chivas, Atlas-León, Toluca-Mazatlán, Pachuca-Monterrey, Santos-Tijuana and Juárez-Necaxa.