Memoirs of Diego Sognora in Boca Juniors: From an incredible march with the river to the era of Maradona during the fight against addiction

“I have been from the West all my life. I was born in Casanova, but when I was 8 years old, I already settled in Moron and today, at 53, I still live in this area. In addition, I have been running a soccer school in Haido for almost 30 years.” Diego Chiche Soñora is intact with the same kindness that he was known as a player and has not changed. It radiates a passion to talk about football, its position in the world, and its roots. Boca Juniors is proud of his two sons who escape from all the horses of this man working at the bottom of the club and play in the first division in Argentina.

“I did well on the floor because I came to the club at the age before Novena. When I took the exam at La Candela, I was 9 years old, and from that moment I was right there, starting with my football career and relationship with the institution. It was when the lower people were led by Ernesto Grillo and Alberto Gonzalito Gonzalez. They were like two parents to us because they took good care of the boys. Over time, Walter Pico and Diego Latorre joined and carried out all the categories up to the fifth, where we raised us to train with the U-21 team that the Reservists and Cesar Menotti gathered together when they arrived in 1987. Angel Capa”.

The yearbook was approaching in the late 1980s, when Boca had a very hard time, but since Antonio Alegre came to the presidency in 1985, the process of ordering in all areas began. For the first division, there was a permanent need to buy until the appearance of three boys with different characteristics that excited fans who arrived at La Bombonera early, since there were no interesting elements in the lower sector. Diego La Torre, Walter Pico and Diego Sonora

“We were trained in a court close to one of the first courts in La Candela. We looked from the side, dreaming that we could join them until little by little we woke up. It happened very quickly. I perfectly remember the day when Pato Pastoriza asked me to go with them to play soccer and immediately told me that I needed to focus on going to the bench with Platense in the league finals.I ran home (laughs) and I didn't know. The joy was tremendous. I had experience and experience Joined a team of men who are many and have a high average age. Rocco Gatti was still 44 years old.”

The 1988/89 season was a big expectation in our football. Because the assumption about the river of Menotti brought many great players, and Boca was not left behind by incorporating the return of Juan Simon, Carlos Navarro Montoya, Claudio Marangoni, Walter Ferrazo and Carlos Tapia. Obviously, due to this situation, the children were slightly relegated, making them alternate between banks and reserves.

“It was hard, but I put it forward until I had a chance to make my first debut. Of course, I had a lot of nerves. The team came from two consecutive defeats and we acted in a right-handed driving position by losing 2 to 0 with Platense at home when Pao brought me. Let's say it was normal.I immediately returned to the reserve army, but I was in training and I had a lot of faith. Little by little I got in place and I participated in several matches at Copa Libertadores in 89, but I could not consolidate until I succeeded. What is consolidation? When I owned a shirt. I was lucky enough to be part of the squad that won the Super Cup and Cup. The club had no achievements for several years, but it was a very important title because over time it was even more valuable. In November 1990, I scored my first goal. One morning, the stadium was full on the Velez court against a race. I did it for Goyco almost at the end and won 1-0. However, in the Kai Aimar era, it didn't start until history changed at the beginning of 91.”

A quote by Cairn Chiche (nickname since he was a child, because his physique was very young, which seemed like a toy and from there he became a pseudonym that accompanies him until today) is usually related to the arrival of Boca and a coach who is very important to him in particular.

“Maestro Tabárez was a phenomenon and gave me the opportunity to feel the title, but I returned to the right. Luis Abramovich and Ivar Stapuja were there for a long time, but he invited me to try that position and never came out again.I wanted a tip marker like today, so I not only covered the band under the premise of defense, but also placed it with the steering wheel, and I wanted to reach the floor with a pointer and have a permanent vocation to attack That's why the eyes were very nice. The team that won Clausura '91 is Boca It was better than joining a year later to become a champion after 11 years without celebrating the title.We had a very strong defense and a strong attack with the duo Batistuta-Latorre. However, due to things related to football and regulation, Clausura's achievements were not worth the championship and we lost the final against Newell. I lost the final match against Newell. I went in with my injured ankle and Dr. Andreacchio entered the court before starting the extension. I was able to cut it off and wear it because the area was very swollen and the loot didn't fit me. At the same time, the semi-finals of Copa Libertadores with Colo Colo in Santiago were like a war. I have always experienced that with many civilians who carried us I have never done it. I can say that the carabinieri was very good, saved us, and that nothing unfortunate happened because God didn't want it. And at the sports level, if we had passed that series, we were champions. There's no doubt about it.”

Boca was his place in the world, and Maestro Tavarez found his place in court as a right-back marker. His performance was constantly increasing, and in the same 1991 he received a deserved call to the national team, who had just been the champion of the United States. “Coco Basile called me, but I was never convinced, I think the press took much longer than that. They are the tastes of each coach, and they are completely understandable, and they also had great colleagues like Fabian Basualdo, Hernan Diaz or Nestor Kraviotto. I just went on the river court against the rest of the world teams and that was exactly the case. I didn't get excited at all about the 94 World Cup because I knew the reality despite my level.”

Sunday, December 20, 1992 is a date that was always painted blue and gold. On that day, Boca drew a picture with San Martin de Tucuman from La Bombonera to expel an 11-year-old ghost without a local title.Diego Soñora was another fan of playing and wandering around the Olympics as an athlete. “It was really good, but it took a dimension over time. At that time we celebrated it and enjoyed it, but Boca does not feel that way every day because it demands a lot. We had very good players and the plus of a coach like Tabárez. He was an advanced player because he brought in a different play, attack model that many coaches do today. In my particular case, I know that I am very good at the offensive part, but the score was poor, which gave me a concept to learn. It was a time when there was no defeat against a river that would never be forgotten, whether official or friendly, and had an amazing game.”

The Tabarez cycle began in January '91 and ended in April '93. After the title of the previous year, the team continued to descendants as “hawks and pigeons” due to poor performance and conflicts within the squad. After a short step by Professor Habbeger, he came to César Luis Menotti, technical director. “El Flaco is a special person, a great motivator and has many teachings. In football, I have learned that all coaches leave something positive than others. But someone at that level is very important. What I learned from him is currently being applied. There has been a lot of controversy regarding the dehydration of the space for which César intended, but in my particular case it has been enriched and I think several TDs apply it with the logical evolution that took place in the game.”

In 1994, Boca did not fight one of the two regional tournaments and missed the Super Cup in the final against Independiente. At the beginning of 95, the club's legend Silvio Marzolini took over, giving rise to the expected reinforcement in the middle of the year. Diego Armando Maradona: “The greatest thing of all was the enormous generosity, which I could not enjoy 100% due to addiction and other problems. The outside was huge, as if I were in courtroom. As a unique and humble companion, I felt like one more member of the group.As a player... Nothing else can be added. Living with him and Carnigia was special. We had a huge team with great football players until Beto Marchico was Diego's substitute. The opening tournament was very intense, and we had a great advantage. Because of the problem of adding football, we fell, and it was because Velez played a great final part and it happened to us.”

When it was a dream to return to the Olympics with Maradona due to the pain of driving a championship that disappeared in an unusual way, it was time to say goodbye to his beloved club after 9 years in the first and five titles. At that time, the Argentine footballers hardly traveled their fate. USA: “Cacho Córdoba, a former defender of Boca, called me to invite me to try my luck at MLS and immediately said yes because I was a little tired of being away from a thousand people every day. Argentina asks for you.Boca's first 9 years mean 18 years of age anywhere (laughs). I bet on a different life and it worked out well. It was because they had fun performances, made many friends, and two children were born there. It was clear that the day Americans wanted would participate in football. Many football players grew up at all levels because they were now exporters before retiring.”

Four teams from the early MLS saw Chiche leaving his mark. At the beginning of the new century, he collected his bag again. First he wore a shirt from Cerro Porteno to Paraguay, and then in Chile in the colors of Deportes Concepción. And there was time to say goodbye. “It didn't cost me to retire because the idea was already maturing. Also, shortly after Showball came out with Diego, we had a wonderful 4 years.In 2012, I was happy to return to Boca with Jorge Raffo and work in low places until 2017. With Román in 2020, we had a niche where I could work with boys with Román, and that's what I'm most passionate about. Currently, with Blas Giunta, we I am in charge of coordinating all the sub-elements from the ninth to the fourth. We know how the boys are in the first class I am very happy with this task because I know if it adapts well.”

However, the name Soñora did not remain in the memory of memories of seeing him leave the classic groove on the right, making the entire band blue and gold.Now his children are in the first division. Alan from Independiente and Joel of Velez: “It's a great emotion to see them like this. I share with them the happiness of following them everywhere, knowing what they do and living according to what they like.They were born to play soccer since they were young because they had a ball under their arm.Alan had a hard time, fought with her, and today he is in the 10th place in Independiente, and Joel's case is in a great institution like Velez and can grow a lot. I feel it.”

This talk also sets up a place to remind him of the most important football players he had to face. “There were a lot of people. I had to mark a very young Ronaldo, but he already made it clear how he would be in another galaxy. Beto Acosta was as hard as Turu Flores, who was a tank. He did well against Bochini and expected many times, but he grabbed it when he was a child. He was a phenomenal person and got very close to the 10 of his son, Independiente, who is wearing a shirt today.”

Alan and Joel make him proud because the castle is still valid in football.Just as he left his mark on Boca. His club of love and his decisive place in the world, he now feels full and happy again.

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