Ignacio Sáez

Goalkeeper - Universidad de Chile
29 Nov 2026
Sunday
Process

Marked for Ignacio Sáez

17 Edition

The Universidad de Chile Gazette

23 Nov 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

A knee injury of the worst kind for Charles Aránguiz

19 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Universidad de Chile lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.

Squad

Ignacio Sáez is a better footballer than he was

Not a run of form — an actual step up, held for months. At 21 he is doing things at this level he could not do at the start of the season, and the coaching staff will tell you exactly which of them.

Squad

Words exchanged at Universidad de Chile

Nicolás Ramírez and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.

The dugout

Tobías Reinhart knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Universidad de Chile, and both men came out saying it was fine.

Squad

Words at Universidad de Chile training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Diego Vargas is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

The dugout

No hiding place for José Matías Fernández

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to José Matías Fernández, and the manager let it.

In brief

Back issues
9 Edition

The Universidad de Chile Gazette

28 Sep 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

A knee injury of the worst kind for Charles Aránguiz

82 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Universidad de Chile lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.

Market

Javier Altamirano has his eye on Europe

It is not a grievance and it is not a demand: he wants to play continental football, and he has stopped hiding it. Whether Universidad de Chile can give him that is a question about the club, not about him.

Squad

Real improvement from Ignacio Sáez at Universidad de Chile

Form comes and goes; this has not gone. Ignacio Sáez is 21, and the version of him training now would not have got into the side he was in a year ago.

Squad

Words exchanged at Universidad de Chile

Nicolás Ramírez and a teammate said things this week that will take longer than a week to unsay. It was not about football, and both of them play on Saturday.

Squad

Words at Universidad de Chile training over how hard people work

Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Nicolás Fernandez is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.

The dugout

No hiding place for Joaquín Fernández

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Joaquín Fernández, and the manager let it.

In brief

5 Edition

The Universidad de Chile Gazette

31 Aug 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

A knee injury of the worst kind for Charles Aránguiz

113 days on the estimate, and a long, private, unglamorous year of a rehabilitation nobody watches. Universidad de Chile lose a footballer; he loses considerably more than a season.

Match

Universidad de Chile run riot against Colo-Colo

3‑0, and the margin flattered nobody — it could have carried another goal or two without complaint. Afternoons like this are why people keep coming.

Player ratings

Both of them Octavio Rivero's — 8.93

2 goals, and the second was the one that settled it. Marked 8.93, and he could have had a third with better luck at the near post.

Player ratings

No sign of nerves from Diego Vargas at 20 — 7.91

The hardest thing about being 20 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Diego Vargas did not need any: 7.91, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.

Player ratings

Juan Martín Lucero, 34, rolls back the years — 7.95

There is an age at which every good afternoon gets described as a throwback, which is unfair and also accurate. 7.95 at 34, and nobody on the pitch was better.

Squad

Israel Poblete in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Universidad de Chile this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Squad

Ignacio Sáez is a better footballer than he was

Not a run of form — an actual step up, held for months. At 21 he is doing things at this level he could not do at the start of the season, and the coaching staff will tell you exactly which of them.

The terraces

Universidad de Chile supporters have found a favourite in Diego Vargas

There is a particular warmth a ground reserves for a 20-year-old it feels ownership of. Diego Vargas has it now, and everything he does for the rest of his time here will be measured against the goodwill he was handed for free.

Player ratings

A defender's afternoon for Nicolás Ramírez

Defensive actions: 19. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.

In brief