It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Atletico Venezuela this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Francisco Uviedo was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
The first defeat in 4 matches. The manager will say it had to come; the dressing room will say it did not have to come against Mineros de Guayana; the supporters will say both, in that order, all week.
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Enzo Romero, and the manager let it.
The dugout17 May 2027
The view from the dugout
“We did not lose. Some weeks that is all you get, and I would rather have the point than not.” Sergio Rincon chose the glass-half-full version of 0‑0; the supporters left with the other one.
Squad17 May 2027
Rafael Machis, 20, is the weekend’s best young player
Measured against every other kid in the division and first among them. The senior award is where Atletico Venezuela would like this to lead.
A brace, and Wilmar Vargas takes the afternoon — 8.86
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Wilmar Vargas provided it, and the 8.86 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
Fee agreed, terms agreed, medical booked. Luis Rincon will be somebody else’s player by the weekend, and around Atletico Venezuela the goodbyes have quietly begun.
Somebody said out loud what several people thought about how hard another man trains, and Francisco Uviedo was in the middle of it. The one dressing-room argument that is genuinely about football.
The goal that put Carabobo ahead was still being replayed on the concourse when Atletico Venezuela equalised, 2 minutes later. Leads are only worth what you do with them.
Juan Romero was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Atletico Venezuela can pretend not to have heard.
Successful dribbles: 26. He went past people as if he had been told there was a prize for it, and by the end the full-back had stopped pretending to try.
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Francisco Uviedo 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.
Wilmar Vargas 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.
At 20 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Enzo Romero and Atletico Venezuela agree another 2 years.
The dugout19 Apr 2027
The manager’s verdict
“I am not going to get carried away and I will not let them either. It was a good day. There will be harder ones.” Sergio Rincon kept it short after the 1‑0 win, which is what managers do when they are happy.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Atletico Venezuela will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Atletico Venezuela this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
The oldest argument in any dressing room and the only one that is genuinely about football: one man thinks another is not putting enough in. It is also the row a manager privately does not mind having happened.
Every squad has one of these fixtures for somebody every season. This one is Jorge Sánchez’s: the club that knew him first, the supporters who will decide in the first minute whether to applaud, and Atletico Venezuela needing him to play as if none of it matters.
It is never announced and it is entirely visible: the biggest afternoons of the season keep containing him. A press box works this out long before anybody at the club confirms a word of it.
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Victor Rondon signs something — a contract at Atletico Venezuela or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Trujillanos will want this one forgotten quickly: 3‑0, every duel lost, and a long ride home. Atletico Venezuela were ruthless in the way good sides are ruthless.
Bones knit. That is the one merciful thing about this injury and the reason Atletico Venezuela will talk about it more openly than they would about a knee. He will be back, and roughly when they say.
Player ratings1 Mar 2027
A brace, and Victor Rondon takes the afternoon — 9.28
There is a particular kind of quiet from an away end watching one man score twice. Victor Rondon provided it, and the 9.28 beside his name is if anything generous to everybody else.
The hardest thing about being 19 in a senior side is that nobody makes allowances. Rafael Machis did not need any: 7.83, and he looked the most comfortable man on the pitch.
“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Atletico Venezuela can pretend not to have heard.
Wages have outrun income and the accountants have started attending meetings they used to send apologies to. Ambition comes second in a season like this.
Wilmar Vargas was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Atletico Venezuela will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
At 19 he was better than everybody his age in the division for four weeks running, which is harder than one good afternoon. Atletico Venezuela will try not to make too much of it.
A bone, which is the one injury with a calendar attached. Atletico Venezuela will name a return date and, unusually for this business, will probably be right about it.
“This is not anger. I have thought about it for months, and nothing that has happened lately changed my mind.” The request is on a desk at Atletico Venezuela, and it is not being withdrawn.
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Atletico Venezuela have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.
Senior shirt numbers handed to boys the coaches have known since they were twelve. Most will not make it and all of them have already done the hard part.
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Francisco Uviedo 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.
Guillermo Coronel was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
At 19 he is being sung about by people twice his age, which is an affection a signing has to earn over years and a local kid gets for turning up. It is also the hardest thing in football to live up to.
5 matches without a win, and then this, against Mineros de Guayana. Relief is a strange noise in a football ground and it was the only noise at the end.