Previously on La Plata: Colombia, Hugo Ojeda introduced those on the edge of seventeen.

Intro

I feel like I have become quite attuned to knowing when to call time on a save. I’m unsure if that sensitivity is heightened because I now write about my saves, or whether it’s just FMWisdom™ after almost 25 years of football management simulations. But I made the decision last time out on this blog that my 5th season in FM21 will be my last. It still feels like the right decision.

Does my decision make this save more enjoyable? Bizarrely, I think that’s a resounding “yes”. The finite nature of the save now means every trophy, cup game and Junior wonder goal might be the last one. As a side, I’ve always argued non-religious folk probably enjoy the wonders of nature and life, more than the pious crew who believe in an Afterlife. Maybe this theory similarly applies to those who proactively call time on their saves Vs those that realise too late? We enjoy and savour the final moments more.

I’ll leave you to ponder that and reflect on your own saves (or religion), as I bring readers up-to-speed on the happenings of the Opening Stage of 2025. Vamos!

Season 2025: Apertura

Categoría Primera A

For the second year running, my Godzilla 4-1-3-2 tactic led to an unbeaten 20 game Opening Stage: 14 wins and 6 draws (not to mention trophy #10 - the inaugural Súperliga Final win Vs Millonarios) . But as I’ve previously documented in this FM21 blog, only the Semi Final stage matters…and we got incredibly lucky in a quest for a 7th final in nine FM21 league stages (Opening & Closing).

The main reason for our dip in form in those final two Semi Final games, is that we rushed back from Greece after participating in the Club World Cup tournament (more on that later). Perhaps the players mentally struggled to be playing in two demanding groups across two continents concurrently? It was also a challenging domestic group too. Both Independiente Medellín and Millonarios had won the previous two Colombian league titles and Atlético Nacional are Atlético Nacional…always a big challenge. We scrapped through against Nacional on goal difference, mainly thanks to that thumping 4-0 home win.

The final was another side that has caused the odd headache for us in this save: América de Cali. There is nothing to write home about with regards to that 1st leg…a boring 0-0 where neither side created much. But the 2nd leg was much better, the Dreamboat of this save coming up with the title winning goal to secure a 4th league title of this save and an 11th career trophy for Hugo Ojeda…

2025 Copa Libertadores

Having won the Copa Libertadores a couple of seasons ago (2023), you could be forgiven for thinking that I was intending to take the easier route by intentionally aiming for a 3rd place finish in a Copa Libertadores group in order to have a chance to win the Copa Sudamericana, especially after losing two of the first three Group G games. I believe some FM Bloggers have done similar things before in continental comps, and it always made me feel incredibly nauseous. “Always aim to be the best you can be”, right?

We rallied back, solid wins against Caracas and Club Atlético Grau ensured that the highest level of continental football continues for Junior Club into the last few months of my save. Vasco da Gama up next in the round of 16. We’re massive.

A Greek Tragedy [2025 Club World Cup]

Since that Copa Liberatores triumph, I’ve waited patiently for a revised Club World Cup to schedule in the calendar, a chance to test ourselves against the European Elite. A chance to be World Champion…it’s what most, if not all, FM Bloggers dream about. Alas, the Greek Gods overseeing the Group Stage draw were in an impish mood, as we headed to Greece to face-off against Flamengo of Brazil and Pumas of Mexico. No disrespect to Flamengo, but we play the Brazilian sides all too frequently…and Pumas aren’t a Chivas or Club América. If we were to face a European side, we’d have to come out on top in the all Latin American group. Could we do it?

No. But please understand that my Junior side came out on top with xG in both games (above)…cruelly losing against Flamengo to a defensive mishap (below), after being the better side throughout. I counted three missed 1v1s and two goes at the woodwork (xG imo should be more like 5.0). Flamengo got out of jail and stole 3 points: Junior 0-1 Flamengo. Against Pumas, there was no defensive mistake…a 1st half Caraballogol-gol was the decisive moment in a dull contest: Pumas 0-1 Junior. We deserved it, but the 1-0 win would mean we would need Pumas to beat Flamengo by 1-0 and hope both sides acquired some yellow/red cards (so that we go through via a good disciplinary record - with all sides having a solitary 1-0 win each). When things are that complicated, there is no point hoping for a miracle.

This whole episode played out like a Greek tragedy. Having waited for this competition for so long (almost two years)…it was over so quickly. Here is the final table:

6 months to go…

Following on from the footsteps of El Toque & Misery, my Godzilla tactic has finally come good and won Junior Club a league title. Whilst not leading Barranquilla’s top club to a Club World Cup title, I can take solace from the fact that Godzilla did not embarrass itself either. We now look forward one final time: to the Closing Stage of 2025 and a chance to add to trophy #11…with the Copa Libertadores title our primary target.

Enjoy, and savour, the final moments with me.

FM Grasshopper