Martín Lasarte left the Centenario stadium with an air of frustration among the current team of his team, the Selección Tricolor, before Defensor Sporting in the final of the Copa Uruguay. The development, which was defined in tanda de penalis with a marker of 3-1 in favor of the purple team, marked the crown of a time that had a state of different initial expectations for the coach and the institute.
The team, which had finished 2-2 in regulation time thanks to Claudio Spinelli's goal from the penalty spot in the final minutes, gave a feeling of tension and discontent between the team and its technical body. Xavier Biscayzacú sold the defender's victory in los penalis, and shortly after concluding the party, Lasarte retreated into the tunnel, reuniting with the directors of the club in a conversation that, according to the sources sought, was extensive and tense.
The derrota means that the Tricolor will remain the champion of the Uruguayan Championship, the main objective of the team. Furthermore, the battle in the Copa Uruguay ends with a temporary elimination in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores, where they beat the Brazilian Sao Paulo. This accumulation of results could doubt the continuity of Lasarte at the front of the team towards 2024, in an environment also marked by an electoral process in the club.
Even if the general panorama has remained sober, the team has registered some logos during the season which, if they do not compensate for the fracasos mayores, are worthy of mentioning. Among them, obtaining the title in the Intermediate tournament and a positive example in the classics, including a victory in the final of the mid-season tournament. Furthermore, the Tricolor concluded the year by closing the annual table with 86 points, something that reflects the consistency in the local tournament, although insufficient to achieve the most ambitious objectives.
However, these logs are not sufficient to mitigate the impact of the broken clubs. Both the team and the coaching staff have come under intense scrutiny, and Lasarte, in particular, has been the subject of criticism over his management at decisive moments. His absence on the way to the press after the final, as well as in the obligatory interview for television, was interpreted by many as an indication of the pressure he is encountering.
Martín Lasarte's continuity at the front of the team continues to be an unknown. During the press conference following the match, the team captain, Diego Polenta, acknowledged that the coach had had difficulties this year, but had left his job in the previous hours. “Martín was very grateful for what was the previous year,” declared Polenta, saying that past good results were not enough to guarantee their permanence.
For his part, Lasarte expressed his desire to continue leading the team, although he admitted that the decision did not depend solely on him. “Por supuesto que quiero continuer, but it doesn't depend on me,” stated the coach, leaving open the possibility that the club's directors would decide to make another rumbo for next season.
The focus of this cycle is to demonstrate the goals that the Tricolor faces, not only in terms of sporting results, but also in terms of institutional stability. With a base of players who have demonstrated ability in some key moments and a passion that demands results, the team's future will largely depend on the decisions they make in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, the club will have to evaluate whether the partial logos of the season are justified to maintain the current technical level or whether it is necessary to make profound changes to regain protagonism in the most important tournaments. The uncertainty that rodea in Lasarte reflects a moment of transition for the team, which will try in 2024 to return to competing at the highest level.
