Carreño holds nothing back after Nacional's 2-0 win over Cerro Largo: "What matters is winning, how you do it doesn't matter as much"

Win however you can. That was the message Daniel Carreño kept repeating after Nacional picked up all three points against Cerro Largo with a 2-0 win in a match from the 2026 Clausura Tournament. The Bolso's manager didn't hold back in his post-match press conference on Saturday, speaking plainly about both the result and how the game unfolded.

The coach admitted the conditions didn't help and that his team felt the effects early on. "It was a tough field, with some wind. Cerro Largo needs points and pressed hard, just like us. We felt the match a bit in the opening minutes, we were a step off, we couldn't settle in," Carreño explained. He also acknowledged that Cerro Largo "controlled the midfield better" for a stretch, though without creating much real danger.

The match turned around in the second half. According to the coach, in the first ten minutes of the second half his team read the game better and started playing in the opponent's half, cutting off Cerro Largo's transitions. That's exactly when Maxi Gómez came on, and for Carreño that substitution was decisive: "Maxi Gómez came in, he understands everything, and the team became a different team."

What matters here is winning, how you do it doesn't matter as much. Maybe I should criticize myself a bit as a coach, try to improve and help the team more. If the team isn't playing well, that's on me.Daniel Carreño

With that self-criticism in mind, the coach is already looking ahead to what's next: a matchup against Montevideo City Torque with an unusual wrinkle for this stretch of the season, as it will be the first time all semester that the squad has a full 10 days between matches to prepare for the next challenge.

Maxi Gómez's impact and the gem in the back line

Asked about Gómez's contribution, Carreño was direct: it's not just about what he adds on the field, it also weighs on the opponent psychologically. "He understands what the match needs, holding the ball, settling it down, controlling it. Having a player of that caliber helping us is huge. These minutes are good for him, he was already almost fully recovered so we'll see how it goes from here," the coach said.

But if there was one name that drew the biggest praise, it was Luciano Rodríguez. Carreño started two center backs who are just 20 years old with very few matches in the top division, and the result couldn't have gone better. "We played with two 20 year old center backs with few games in the first division, and 'Lucho' Rodríguez was the best player on the field today. Tomás is more settled in, he looks like an experienced player, he does it with a lot of composure," he said, also referring to Tomás Viera.

The lack of a left footed option and the Botta dilemma

Asked about the absence of a left footed player to give the attack more variety, Carreño was candid about what happens with Rubén Botta when he's not in the starting lineup. "The same thing happens to me every match: when Botta isn't a starter, I can't find the moment to bring him in afterward. Maybe he leaves upset, but I leave twice as upset that I couldn't find a spot for him," he admitted. He also mentioned Alejandro Martínez, who according to the coach has been getting minutes in "rough and physical" matches where it's hard for him to show his best form, and Agustín Dos Santos, who he sees in good form and expects to get his chance soon.

Finally, Carreño addressed the situation of Francisco Calvo, called up by the Costa Rica national team, and left the door open to an early return. "From my point of view as a coach, I'm already in talks with my colleague Fernando Batista, and always respecting the regulations and the national team's work, maybe we can get him back a bit sooner. You'll all find out soon enough," the coach concluded.