After the game, the players and fans of Hurricane Athletics interacted and celebrated in the stadium for more than half an hour.
Because this is the Copa Libertadores, the highest competitive stage for South American clubs, just as important as the Champions League to European clubs.
The Hurricanes were still playing in the Albanian League B last season. This season they reached the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores and eliminated the Brazilian giant Sao Paulo in the 1/8 finals.
Such an achievement is certainly worthy of a carnival celebration by everyone at their home stadium.
As for Sao Paulo, he left the field as soon as the game ended. In these two 1/8 finals, Sao Paulo's performance was really disappointing and did not show the depth of the Brazilian giants. Let alone win, at least score a goal. As a result, they were shaved off by the Hurricanes in two rounds. Not only the fans and commentators were surprised, but also the Sao Paulo players themselves felt embarrassed.
After the game, the performance of Atletico Hurricanes was praised by the Argentine media. After all, this can be considered a matter of bringing glory to the country. Moreover, there was still a clean sheet against the opponent.
Compared with the 2-3 total score loss of La Plata University and the 3-2 win of the Competition Club, the performance of the Hurricane Athletic Team is undoubtedly much more exciting.
Although River Plate also defeated its opponent 4-0 to advance, River Plate's opponent is its mortal enemy Boca, not a foreign team. Therefore, even if River Plate wins 4-0, the impact will not be as great as Hurricanes' 3-0 victory over Sao Paulo.
Moreover, in the next quarter-finals, Hurricanes and River Plate will be fighting each other. Which of the two sides is stronger and who can advance to the semi-finals will be revealed soon.
However, there are 6 days until the next game, so after this game advanced to the quarterfinals, Mario Binco gave everyone a full two days off.
The two-day holiday gave Velarde time to sign endorsement deals with two Argentine brands and complete advertising shoots. One sells fitness equipment and the other sells drinks.
The two brand endorsements contributed a total of 1 million pesos to Velarde, which is the same as the team's annual salary. It can be regarded as a windfall.
Now Willard has four girlfriends, two bodyguards, and a loan debt borrowed from Desia to buy a house, which is really stressful. He didn't want to renew his contract easily and affect his plan to move to Europe, so receiving a total of 1 million pesos in endorsement fees from these two companies could somewhat relieve his financial pressure.
The Argentine economy is not doing well. It has been experiencing inflation, the peso has been devaluing, and even the government is defaulting on its debts. It is difficult to make big money in Argentina.
To really make big money, you have to transfer to a wealthy European club. Regardless of the wages and bonuses given by the wealthy clubs, or the increase in the value of image endorsements brought by being a wealthy player, they cannot be compared to those in South America.
This is why the biggest dream of South American players is to play in the five major European leagues. In fact, the South American economy is so collapsed that even if you become a top superstar, you can't make much money.
For example, in the Copa Libertadores, Atlético Huracán played two qualifying matches this year. Even so, the total bonuses earned by winning all the way to the finals and the championship were not as good as those of a team that lost all in the Champions League group stage and was eliminated. The appearance fee is high.
The team receives less tournament income, so the wages paid to players will naturally be less. This is inevitable.
In other words, if you play in Europe, even if you just go to the Champions League group stage and fail to win a game, the team will earn more income than the South American Copa Libertadores champion.
In this comparison, it is no wonder that the best players from all over the world have gone to the five major European leagues.
Velarde himself is the same. At most, after playing this season, winning the Copa Libertadores, helping his girlfriend and father-in-law win football bets, he will go to Europe.
This is also the reason why he refused to renew the contract with the club. First, even if he renews the contract now, the annual salary increase will not be much. Second, he needs to wait until the America's Cup is over and see the performance of the America's Cup to negotiate terms.
At least one thing is that the liquidated damages after contract renewal cannot be an obstacle to his going to Europe. If it becomes an obstacle, then he might as well not renew the contract and keep the current 10 million liquidated damages. Then there will definitely be a lot of clubs willing to pay liquidated damages to take him away. Instead, he can take the opportunity to raise the price and ask for more money in the new club. Salaries and signing fees, image rights sharing, etc.
On Monday, May 18th, Willard only spent 11 skill points this time, increasing shooting/passing from 80 to 81, and inverse footing from 53 to 54, leaving 28 skill points remaining.
As for other skills that have been increased to 90, they cannot be increased at the moment.
The next day, May 19th, the birthdays of Velarde and Alyssa, at 21:00 in the evening, with the referee's whistle, the first leg of the 2015 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals was River Plate VS Hurricanes. The team's game officially started at the Monument Stadium, River Plate's home stadium.
In the previous Argentine Super Cup, River Plate was beaten 3-0 by the Hurricanes at their home court. Seeing the Hurricanes win the championship at their home court, it can be said that they lost face.
This time they met again in the Copa Libertadores, and River Plate naturally wanted revenge. Moreover, because of the schedule disadvantage of playing home first and then away, River Plate must win this game.
Therefore, from the beginning of the game, River Plate took the initiative to attack, hoping to score first and take the lead.
But at the same time, they were wary of the Hurricanes' sharp counterattack, so they did not attack very resolutely, resulting in insufficient offensive power to penetrate the Hurricanes' defense.
The Hurricanes Athletic Team, which used all its main players, under the leadership of Willard, managed the defense line to the letter. No matter whether the river bed was in the center or the wing, on the ground or in the air, there were almost no opportunities.
On the contrary, the Hurricanes Athletic Team continued to create threats through counterattacks. Although he lacked some luck, he missed the goal several times. But if you do it enough times, you will eventually be able to break the goal.
In the 38th minute of the first half, Velarde pressed close and forced River Plate midfielder Carlos Sanchez to make a mistake when passing the ball. Lucas Villaruel intercepted the ball halfway and launched a counterattack.
Alejandro Romero, Toranso, Turaza, and Avila fired four arrows together. Through continuous passing, cutting, running and covering, they successfully opened up River Plate's defense. Finally, Toranso made a wonderful pass. In the penalty area, Avila caught the ball and volleyed from the right rib of the penalty area but was saved by goalkeeper Varovero.
But Alejandro Romero, who followed closely into the penalty area, grabbed the second point. Before River Plate midfielder Kranevitt returned to defense, he fell to the ground and shot, successfully shoveling the ball into the empty goal.
0-1, Hurricanes Athletic took the lead to score again at River Plate's home court.
The tens of thousands of River Plate fans in the entire Monument Stadium fell silent, leaving only thousands of Hurricanes away fans and Hurricanes players on the field celebrating.
