Unexpected bombshell: Gustavo Álvarez resigned as San Lorenzo's coach before the preseason

San Lorenzo has once again found itself in a situation of uncertainty. Just hours before the start of preseason, Gustavo Álvarez submitted his resignation and is no longer the head coach of the first team after just three months in the position.

The decision came after a meeting held on Monday morning with the club's directors, where the coach communicated his determination to step aside. The players learned of the news upon arriving at the Sports City to begin their preparation work for the second half of the year.

Behind the departure are deep differences with the management of professional football and the new board of directors led by Marcelo Culotta. The main source of conflict appears to have been the management's decision to exclude several players from the squad in order to reduce the wage bill amid the delicate economic situation the institution is facing.

Among the players affected by this measure are Luciano Vietto, Gregorio Rodríguez, and Gonzalo Ábrego, three footballers who had recently joined the club and who were part of the coach's considerations. The lack of agreement on squad management ultimately strained the relationship between the parties and hastened Álvarez's departure. Additionally, in recent hours, there was a discussion related to the formation of the group that would start preseason, a situation that deepened the rift between the coaching staff and those responsible for the football area.

Álvarez's tenure began in late March and was marked by results that failed to solidify the team. During his management, the Ciclón was eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana in the group stage and then lost on penalties to River in the round of 16 of the Apertura Tournament.

With the vacancy open, San Lorenzo has decided that Walter Perazzo will take charge of training on an interim basis while the management moves forward in the search for a new coach to lead the sports project.

Now, with no international competitions ahead and amid an institutional restructuring, San Lorenzo must quickly resolve who will take the reins of a squad that will face a second half of the year filled with demands and with little room for new setbacks.

Gustavo Álvarez's numbers at San Lorenzo

Since his arrival at the Boedo club in late March of this year, the native of Lomas de Zamora has managed just 13 matches, with a poor record of 3 wins, 7 draws, and 3 losses, with 15 goals scored and 14 conceded.