After the heavy defeat against Colombia in Barranquilla, the position of Ricardo Gareca has been under the microscope due to the latest location of the Chile team in the South American Qualifiers heading to the 2026 World Cup in North America. In fact, throughout the day there has been talk about the possibility that the ‘Tigre’ and the leaders of the ANFP meet to analyze the fate of the ‘roja’. In that sense, a Chilean journalist confessed that there is a possibility that a former technician from University of Sports take command.
The fall in front of the painting ‘coffee maker’ ended up sinking a team that has not won with the Argentine coach in the current qualifying process (four consecutive losses). For this reason, doubts arise about what will happen to the future of the cast going forward, taking into account that their critical situation can still be reversed.
Communicator Rocío Ayala, from ADN Chile, gave details of what the last 24 hours were like around the chilean team. First he mentioned that after the match the strategist was disappointed by the performance of his players, hence there was no meeting in the dressing room or at the concentration hotel.
Then, the reporter said that the ANFP (National Professional Football Association) expected Gareca Nardi to resign at a post-match press conference, but this did not happen and there would be a private conversation on Thursday, October 17 or Friday the 18th. The idea would be that The leadership reaches an agreement with the former coach of Peru to agree to the termination of the contract and lower its claims, considering that said entity is going through economic problems and cannot pay him the remainder of what was agreed.
That was when Rocío Ayala mentioned who would be the possible replacement for Ricardo Gareca. It would be about Nicolas Cordovawho directed University between 2018 and 2019, and is currently the technical head of the national teams of Chilein addition to being the head of the sub 20.
“Today there was a meeting at the Fernando Riera complex. At 9:00 am Nicolás Córdova, coach of the under 20 team, arrived and met with Marko Biskupovic, ANFP national team manager. They drew conclusions after friendlies with the USA. They also talked about the November date, because while Chile plays against Peru and Venezuela, the sub 20 will play against Peru and Norway thinking about the Under 20 World Cup,” he commented in the first instance.
In the same way, the journalist emphasized that the ANFP investigated the 45-year-old DT and found out his predisposition to take over from the ‘Tigre’to which they found an unexpected response.
“The current situation was also touched on. In Juan Pinto Durán they asked him to take on the adult ‘red’ and he was evasive, he did not want to talk about the subject and he seemed somewhat annoyed because, as technical head, he is planning for the Under 20 World Cup, but he knows that it is a possibility If an agreement is not reached, he will be the one chosen for the interim position. For now, that is not the case, but if the parties reach an agreement for Gareca’s departure, it is the main goal,” he said.
Ricardo Gareca appeared at a press conference after the visiting defeat against Colombia and, among other topics, acknowledged that he will analyze the possibility of leaving the Chile team in the face of the harsh present in the Qualifiers 2026.
“I’m not used to making quick decisions. I want to think and cool down. It is a difficult, complicated process, but today I am not ready to make a decision. I need to calm down, be with my coaching staff and the leaders. There is time. Anything that has to do with a decision to leave office, at this time, I am not in a position to express. Right now, that’s what I can answer,” he said.
