The name of the president of Talleres de Córdoba, Andrés Fassi, resonated in the last hours after having given a press conference in which he pointed against the president of the AFA, Claudio “El Chiqui” Tapia, whom he accused of “sending referees to harm” the club from Córdoba. But that is not all, these statements were supported by the Government of Javier Milei: the President himself gave a “like” to a post by the leader and Daniel Scioli also spoke out in his favor. However, across the pond, the surname Fassi is still remembered for his poor management at Club Atenas de Uruguay, which was a Sports Corporation (SAD), promoted by father and son, and did not end in the best way.
The history of the Fassi Group (headed by Andrés and his son Juan Pablo Fassi), which manages Talleres de Córdoba and Pachuca de México, with Club Atlético Atenas dates back to the second half of 2020. At that time, the club’s members, by means of a vote, ceded the football asset to the SAD for a period of 25 years, in principle.
The “promising” project included renowned figures such as Diego Forlán and Christian “Chaco” Giménez, as well as a promise to reach the First Division (spoiler: something that never came to fruition).
The star of the Uruguayan national team was embarking on his second experience as a coach and was entrusted with the difficult task of seeking promotion in 2021, in addition to being the visible face of the promised “success.” The Fassi also hired several local and foreign players: Franco Acosta, Michael Bonette, Roberto Brum, Rubén Carlos, Esteban Conde, Lucas Farías, Juan Figueroa, Emiliano Ghan, Sebastián Hohl, Isaac Méndez, Christian Ojeda, Renzo Paparelli, Jonathan Ramírez, Sebastián Riquelme (brother of Juan Román Riquelme), Mathías Saavedra, Facundo Taborda, Agustín Tejera, Francisco Tinaglini and Ángel Villagra. The team also had the luxury of adding Matías Britos, who returned to the club after his time at Peñarol.
Despite high expectations and investments, the Forlán project was short-lived. In September 2021, he was dismissed from his position at the start of the second season of the promotion tournament. Why did Forlán leave? He himself explained it. “The Fassi suggested to me who to put in and take out of the team,” he said at the time. “I exploded,” he added, about that situation.
After Forlán’s departure, SAD placed its trust in someone known and appointed former Boca Juniors player, Argentine Christian “Chaco” Giménez, known for the Pachuca Fassi of Mexico, as coach. However, the change did not work. Atenas failed to make it into the top six teams, with the first two promoted and the next four contesting the final playoff for the last spot.
After the Argentine coach was let go, for the 2022 season, Atenas SAD appointed Roland Marcenaro, who had achieved promotion with Cerrito. He was the coach until the 13th game, being replaced by Valentín Villazán. The team again failed to get into the promotion points, neither in the two direct ones, nor in the next four for the final playoff. In the Copa AUF Uruguay, they fell to Mar de Fondo, a team from the Primera Amateur, in the second round.
The second failed attempt to get promoted, with a squad without so many stars and with Junior Arias (ex-Talleres) as the standout, ended up precipitating the departure of the Fassi. Thus, the end of the sumptuous project arrived: the main objective, to reach the First Division, had not been achieved.
The failure of the business and football sector was attempted to be “softened” in the eyes of the public. That is, in a joint statement, Atenas SAD and Club Atlético Atenas spoke of a “modification in the structure” that implied that Fassi’s shares would be transferred to a Civil Association.
Thus, what had been planned for 25 years, with the possibility of renewal – according to Juan Pablo Fassi, president of SAD Atenas – lasted just over two years.
Remember what is convenient
Andrés Fassi is one of the main advocates of the incorporation of SADs into Argentine football. “It is another option for the growth of the structure of our football clubs,” said the president of Talleres, referring to the initiative promoted by Javier Milei’s administration.
“We are the only country in the world that has not accepted this structure and today Argentine football is experiencing a very special situation. It is a historic moment to try to generate the best by being world champions and two-time Copa America champions. Today is a historic moment in which Argentine football leaders must unify criteria and draw conclusions for the benefit of our football league,” he added in his argument.
In a staunch defense, the manager recalled his time at Pachuca in Mexico and presented it as a success story: “I lived in Mexico for 30 years and I did a project taking over a small club like Pachuca, which later became one of the most important football groups in the world. 30 years ago, when it was my turn to go to Mexico and return to the country, I was already talking about corporations and issues that have to do with the management model.”
However, he made no mention of his failure in Uruguay, a project that Fassi seems to want to leave behind.
