Atlante plans to leave Ciudad de los Deportes stadium

The usual smile of Emilio Escalante, president of the Atlante club, remains half-hearted. Something prevents the businessman from being able to speak in calm conditions, after authorities from the Benito Juárez mayor’s office announced on Saturday the closure of the Ciudad de los Deportes stadium and the Plaza de Toros México. He has been waiting for days for a notification, some report from the owners of the property that provides clarity on what is needed to remove the suspension seals. “It’s disrespectful,” he says. The Day with the annoyance of having news only through social networks. “I say it very directly and very up front: Atlante has to be respected and, if not, we will have to find some place where he is dignified, that was good.”

The Potros played their last match in the regular phase of the Expansion League behind closed doors yesterday at the Cantera facilities (4-0 against Jaiba Brava). By finishing in first place, they will close the quarterfinal series with Dorados in a venue that is not yet defined. “We are surprised by the way things were done. “If there were two events scheduled on the same day, why not look for who authorized them?” says the Barça manager. “The owners and authorities have to make it transparent. “It is not possible that on Saturday at 11 pm they come out and say that the stadium is closed, without even publishing a corresponding statement.”

Since Atlante returned to Mexico City in 2020, the agreement to play at the Nochebuena neighborhood venue – where América and Cruz Azul are local – has been extended until the end of next year. Escalante does not know under what conditions the mayoral procedure will end. “The club documents are in order. I don’t know how they (the owners) are doing on their legal side, we don’t have any information, we are totally cut off, he adds about the responsibility of the Cosío family, owner of the property,” to address the situation. They don’t have a bit of common sense or respect for the fans who had already bought their ticket.

In a statement released on its official channels, the Liga Mx reported that it held a working table with the mayor of the district, Luis Mendoza, and that “as it is a review of compliance with civil protection regulations,” the property will not be able to be reopened before tomorrow, so the América-Pachuca match, corresponding to the penultimate date, will take place in Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, respecting the originally scheduled time (7 p.m.).

“The stadium administration is going to have to respond to all of this,” Escalante insists with the certainty that the event in the Plaza de Toros México (Coco in concert: A party to rememberr), held on Saturday almost simultaneously with the Cruz Azul-Santos soccer match, had to be authorized by some authority previously. “Why didn’t they resolve it days before? From the beginning of each tournament, the teams submit the match schedule to the League for approval. On Sunday there was only one event. If Plaza México did not comply with the guidelines, the correct thing was to close its doors and not those of the stadium. “We are all tied with our hands.”

They stop ticket sales

Like Atlante en Expansión, leader Cruz Azul still has not confirmed the venue of its next home match in the Liga Mx. La Maquina will face Tigres on Saturday on the closing date (9:05 p.m.), almost at the same time that a band music concert and rodeo show will take place at the bullfighting temple (8 p.m.). “It is surprising that there is not even a warning or a call for attention,” says the Colts manager about the splicing of calendars. Until yesterday, ticket sales on the Ticketmaster platform for that weekend remained restricted for sky blue fans.

“Liga MX has supported us as much as possible. Pachuca offered us its stadium just like Toluca. The Pumas helped us in Cantera so we could play against Jaiba Brava and the Chivas board also sent us a message of support. It is gratifying that football is united in that sense, because at the end of the day this hits us all and no one thinks about the people. The Atlantean must be respected; If not, I have to find somewhere for him where he won’t get hit so easily.”

In October of last year, the América-Pachuca match in the Women’s League (5 p.m.) and a concert by Grupo Fuerza Regida (9 p.m.), at the Ciudad de los Deportes stadium and the Plaza de Toros, respectively, left a first precedent of events held a few hours apart and breaches of the Civil Protection protocol. “Why were there no sanctions in this regard?” the Mexican businessman still asks.