Cuadrado's Millonarios debut greeted with jeers at the Atanasio Girardot

The Atanasio Girardot was in no mood for sentimentality. There, in the stadium where he was once cheered so many times wearing Independiente Medellín's jersey, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado heard whistles from the very first touch of the ball. That was his return to Colombian soccer, now in the colors of Millonarios. Flags waved against him, constant jeers and a charged atmosphere greeted the Antioquian midfielder in his debut for the embajadores, a team he also led out as captain. The pitch offered no relief either, as rough play from opponents was a constant throughout his time on the field. Even so, Cuadrado held on for 59 minutes with the trademark personality that defines him, getting forward and testing the goalkeeper with a shot on target. Millonarios coach Alberto Gamero didn't hold back when discussing the reception given to the newest member of his squad.

I liked Juan Guillermo's debut and I have to say it, I'm sad about the reception given to a player of that caliber. That hurts, but this is soccer and he's a man of great class and experience, so he surely took it in stride. But we should welcome these great figures with open arms, with generosity, joy and satisfactionAlberto Gamero

Beyond the hostile atmosphere, what put the coach's mind at ease was the performance itself. Cuadrado shifted across different lanes during the match: he appeared on the left, then on the right, and in the second half the coaching staff decided to move him to the center to shorten his runs and let him stay on the field longer.

What Cuadrado gave us up front was very good. We want him close to the goal. At times he was on the left, also on the right, and in the second half, so he could stay with us a bit longer, we gave him the central area so he'd have less ground to cover and could hold up better. He's a player who's going to give us a lot in terms of soccer and scoring chancesAlberto Gamero

The match ended 2-2, a result that left Millonarios with 21 points in the Colombian league table and, despite the draw, in third place in the overall standings. What remains is the image of a debut marked by tension from the stands, but also by the trust that Gamero is already placing in his new captain. Soccer, as the coach himself summed up, has these paradoxes: the same people who once cheered you can turn around and whistle at you, and still, you have to keep playing.