Cerro Porteño lost three vital points against a direct rival in the fight for the Clausura Tournament. The Cyclone was defeated 2-1 by Libertad in their visit to the doctor Nicolás Leoz stadium.
Nelson Haedo Valdez, captain of Cerro Porteño, spoke about the defeat and did not seek culprits. "We had errors that favored Libertad. The error is general, we all lost the match", he explained.
Haedo mentioned that from now on they only need to harvest victories. "We lose points against rivals that we must beat at all costs. We no longer have margin for error, we need the victory to lift the team's morale because we are down", he asserted.
The blue and red captain also made a very strong self-criticism, where he called for a total rethink in order to aim for big goals. "We talk about winning the Libertadores, but the way we are fighting for the championship it is difficult to achieve something big. We must stay grounded and work hard", he mentioned.
When asked about the absence of Pachi Carrizo, by decision of coach Miguel Ángel Russo, Haedo confessed that he was taken by surprise. "It was a decision of the coach due to the foreign quota. We as players must respect it", he indicated.
In addition, he stated that Carrizo is very important for the team. "For me, he is fundamental, he is the best player in the tournament. Unfortunately, due to a foreign quota issue, he was left out", he regretted.
Finally, he was asked about the fine imposed by CONMEBOL on Cerro Porteño for the welcome made by the blue and red fans to River Plate. "It was beautiful, a very nice feeling. I don't see the logic in fining such a beautiful spectacle, but the rules exist and must be respected", he concluded.