Colo Colo prepares to face Everton de Viña del Mar at Estadio Monumental in their second match of the Liga de Primera, aiming for their first victory of the season.
A controversy has emerged within Colo Colo involving head coach Fernando Ortiz and star goalkeeper Fernando de Paul. According to reports, Ortiz reportedly does not fully trust de Paul as his first-choice goalkeeper.
Journalist Edson Figueroa revealed on ‘Dale Albo AM’ that Ortiz has reservations about de Paul’s position. Figueroa stated, “Estamos con un técnico que, si dependiera de él, tendría otro arquero. Esto es sabido.” (We have a coach who, if it depended on him, would have another goalkeeper. This is known.) He specifically mentioned Ortiz’s previous interest in Esteban Andrada, who ultimately did not join the club.
Figueroa further elaborated on the situation, stating, “Es sabido que no confía 100% en Tuto de Paul y resulta que le asigna la capitanía a De Paul.” (It is known that he does not fully trust Tuto de Paul and yet he assigns the captaincy to De Paul.) Figueroa interpreted this as a paradoxical situation, with Ortiz naming de Paul captain despite not fully relying on him as his primary goalkeeper.
The revelation comes as Colo Colo seeks to improve their performance after a challenging year in 2025. The team is striving for qualification to the Copa Sudamericana and a stable goalkeeping situation is seen as crucial to achieving this goal.
The situation with de Paul is particularly noteworthy given his recent injury. On , de Paul suffered a knee injury during a 4-0 victory over Deportes Iquique at Estadio Monumental. Ortiz disclosed after the match that de Paul informed him of pain and a locking sensation in his knee, prompting his substitution with Eduardo Villanueva. Ortiz stated, “Fer me comentó que tenía un dolor en la rodilla, que por momentos se le trabó y eso lo asustó.” (Fer told me he had pain in his knee, that at times it locked up and that scared him.) Further medical evaluations were planned to assess the extent of the injury.
Despite the injury, de Paul has publicly supported Ortiz. On , de Paul expressed his belief that Ortiz needs more time to implement his strategies and build a cohesive team. This public backing contrasts with the reported lack of confidence from Ortiz, creating a complex dynamic within the club.
The reported lack of confidence in de Paul follows a period of changes within the Colo Colo technical staff. In , Ortiz made the decision to dismiss Daniel Díaz, the team’s GPS analyst, following a disagreement over methods of work. Díaz had previously been part of Jorge Almirón’s coaching staff. This move came after a similar situation with Jorge Martínez, the goalkeeper coach, who left the club earlier in the year due to a strained relationship with players, a decision made by Blanco y Negro while Almirón was still in charge.
The dismissal of Díaz and the reported concerns about de Paul highlight a period of instability within Colo Colo. The team’s performance in the Supercopa, where they faced Universidad de Chile with a lineup including de Paul in goal, Mauricio Isla, Jonathan Villagra, Sebastián Vegas, and Erick Wiemberg in defense, Vicente Pizarro and Esteban Pavez in midfield, Lucas Cepeda, Claudio Aquino, and Leandro Hernández in attack, and Javier Correa upfront, drew early criticism. The team’s formation remained largely unchanged from their previous match, but the result was not satisfactory.
As Colo Colo prepares to face Everton, the focus will be on securing a win and addressing the internal issues that have surfaced. The situation with Fernando de Paul and Fernando Ortiz will undoubtedly be closely watched, as it could have significant implications for the team’s performance and morale throughout the Liga de Primera season.
In Summary
- Colo Colo will play Everton of Viña del Mar at Estadio Monumental in the league.
- Journalist Edson Figueroa revealed that Fernando Ortiz does not fully trust Fernando de Paul.
- The coach requested the signing of goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, who did not ultimately join the club.
