Pedro Cedillo is upset. The vice president of Grupo Pachuca is in Chile and attended the match between Everton, the club he led from 2016 to 2023, and U (Universidad de Chile). The match was not completed due to incidents in the stands, and this Sunday the remaining minutes will be played at the Estadio Nacional. Hours later, at the same venue and with only Universidad de Chile fans in attendance, the second leg will be played. A decision that upsets the executive and, according to his accusation, they were pressured to accept.
What is your opinion on the ANFP's decision following the incidents at the Estadio Sausalito?
The decision seems completely unacceptable to us. It is a bad sign that the ANFP showed no interest in trying to resolve this in the fairest and most equitable way possible from a sporting standpoint, because the underlying message is: there is violence in the stadium, but as long as it involves Universidad de Chile or one of the teams with the biggest fanbase, as long as they are not affected in their home venue, nothing happens. What happened was that the visiting supporters' group caused a major conflict in another stadium, and they are rewarded with an attendance of 20,000 people for a match that should have been played without spectators, at a neutral venue, or resolved in some other sporting manner. The strange thing is that the security issue, which is the most important one, was not even touched upon in the conversation.
Do you believe this is a sporting advantage for U?
It constitutes a significant sporting advantage for Universidad de Chile. We do not agree with the decision or with what was decreed. We went to a meeting and were forced to accept an agreement, otherwise we would have lost the points. We believe the ANFP must treat the clubs equitably, and the reality here is that the team with the biggest fanbase, which carries more weight in these instances, was favored. U has had problems with its fans since the beginning of the championship, even before, when the same supporters' group tried to boycott the tournament and threatened its leadership. For that reason, we believe there were no security guarantees for this match to take place, and we in no way agree with playing eight minutes away at the Estadio Nacional, without spectators, and then holding a second match two and a half hours later with 20,000 fans. It is something completely irrational.
Pedro Cedillo, former president of Everton. Photo: @evertonsadp
How do you think the issue should have been handled?
This started off badly, when the ANFP scheduled a high-attendance match on a weekday at 8:30 PM, going against all the recommendations of the local authorities. Then, the visiting supporters' group attacked the players, coaching staffs, staff, referees, and all of our people. And what happens? We were the only ones harmed, and in an unfair and incomprehensible measure we will have to play the remaining minutes of the first leg away and the second leg without the presence and support of our fans, which pains us deeply.
What is your opinion of the ANFP's management in this case?
The ANFP's management in this case is lamentable. We have supported this board, despite there having been many serious errors, many failures in the management of the national teams, many problems in the handling of the league and the football industry, but we believe this has already overflowed the glass, and the stance the ANFP took in the face of these criminal acts is completely unacceptable.
What is Everton's mea culpa? You were the host club...
We assume the responsibility that corresponds to us as the organizer of the match. The club complies with all the requirements of the authorities related to security matters; we hold constant meetings with Carabineros and have fluid, direct communication with the authorities of the city and the region to carry out coordinated work. However, we are also aware that there are always aspects that can be improved to provide greater security for our people and to ensure that events of this nature do not happen again.
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