Gaston Arcieri, president of Platense, has projected a challenging duel against Fluminense in the Libertadores competition. In an exclusive interview with Globo Esporte Futebol, Arcieri stated, "We're not the type of club that enters the field to try and draw. We always have a mentality to enter the field to win. We'll play our game and try to win." Platense will face Fluminense in the Libertadores quarterfinals at the Maracanã stadium in Brazil.
The Argentine club has invested significantly in its team, with Arcieri revealing that they have a budget that is 30 to 40 times lower than their Brazilian opponents. Despite this disparity, Arcieri believes that Platense can compete with the likes of Fluminense and Corinthians. "If football were just about money, it would be a different sport," he said. "With intelligence and creativity, we can assemble a good team with less money."
Platense has made significant progress in recent years, winning the Torneo Apertura title for the first time in over 120 years. Arcieri, who was the club's treasurer before becoming president, attributed the team's success to the unity and clear objectives that the club has achieved. "We've organized ourselves in a different way, with clear objectives since the beginning, 10 years ago, passing through the tournament and until today, playing in the Copa Libertadores," he said.
The Libertadores match against Fluminense will be Platense's second encounter with a Brazilian giant. In the group stage, they surprisingly defeated Corinthians 2-0 at the Neo Química Arena.