Although he was sent off in the last game against Cobresal, Sebastián Cardozo (27)’s leg in the Kingdom of Coquimbo was more than positive. The Uruguayan defender arrived in that second semester and immediately became a regular in Fernando Díaz’s team. The Uruguayan is very happy about this.
“I arrived three months ago and I am very happy at the club, they have treated me great. I’m still adjusting, but the good thing is that I’m playing. Unfortunately, I was thrown out on the last date, but the important thing is that I feel comfortable. “We are working hard to get into a cup,” he said in an interview with AS Chile.
“The board was tight since the start of the second wheel. It’ll take a while for us to win, but we’re still excited. The good thing is that we still have five home games in which we have to be strong in order to finish as high as possible,” he added.
– He came to Chile from La Luz, a club from Uruguay with a very special history…
– Yes / Yes. La Luz was a club that disappeared due to problems but returned with a project in which a SAD (Sports Public Limited Company) took over the management. He seduced me and I left. We had a great season in the Uruguay Cup, eliminating Peñarol in the semi-finals and then getting promoted. It was the first time in history that the club reached the highest category. I had a very good time there.
– How did you assess the level of the Chilean league?
– The truth is that it is very good. I played in Uruguay and football is more dynamic here, back and forth. There are good players and teams. Our coach (Fernando Díaz) likes to go straight into the attack and sometimes leaves a lot of space. We have to be physically fit and we are, we have shown that. It is a virtue of the team that attacks and defends with many people. We feel very comfortable with that.
– What was daily life like in the city? They are very passionate about their club…
– Before they came, they told me how they were, but they really live it very strongly here. No matter what the result, they always accompany and support the team. We play at home and the stadium is almost always full, which shows in the concentration… it’s a city that feels very committed to the team.
His time in Playa del Carmen and the deception he experienced when he left for Gibraltar
Cardozo began his career at Racing de Montevideo and was then loaned out to Villa Teresa and Albion in his country and Inter de Playa del Carmen in Mexico. That was his first experience abroad.
“Playa del Carmen is divine to linger. Of course, being a tourist town, it’s a little more expensive than the rest of Mexico, but you get by pretty well. In my case, I went to work to do whatever was wanted. It’s not the same as going on vacation because you want to go to the beach and do these things. You have to focus on what it was and luckily for me it turned out well. I played all the games, but since I was on loan, it was difficult for them to buy the pass and it was never repaired,” he recalls of his time in one of the most sought-after locations in the Aztec country.
However, it was not the only stage where he lived outside Uruguay. Cardozo had the chance to go to Gibraltar, but everything turned into a nightmare. “I had a pretty quick crossing because I had a problem with some businessmen who gave me a ride,” he reveals.
– What exactly happened?
– Some Spanish businessmen I didn’t know contacted me when I was in Uruguay. I decided to trust them and they ended up leaving me in the country illegally. After I got the equipment, they disappeared and I couldn’t contact them anymore. I don’t know what deals they were doing behind the scenes. I had to terminate my contract with the club and return to Uruguay.
– But did you have any problems with the law because of this fact?
– I didn’t get it because I found out before the 90 days of the tourist visa expired. After they disappeared, I tried to handle things on my own, but it was a little late. I spoke to the club and we made the decision to quit.
-How is such a situation handled in a country other than yours?
– I was surprised and difficult to be alone in a country with a different language. Since it is an English colony, different laws apply, so it was complicated. Fortunately, the club supported me at all times and that was crucial to solving the problem. It could have been worse because I was playing in Gibraltar but the club rented me a house in Spain so I had to go through customs every day. Since it was illegal, it would have been much worse. But it’s over and today I’m happy in Chile and doing what I like best.
