Gamero apologizes after Millonarios crash out of Copa BetPlay

Three games. That's what stood between Millonarios and a Copa BetPlay final. And it all slipped away in a penalty shootout at Estadio Romelio Martinez, where Alberto Gamero's side drew 1-1 with Barranquilla FC but ended up losing 5-4 from the spot, crashing out in the round of 16.

The most striking part wasn't the result itself, but what came after. Gamero, far from looking for excuses, stood in front of the microphones and opened by apologizing. Not half-heartedly either: he used the word "disgraceful" and said sorry to the fans, to the club's board and to the journalists for what he'd seen from his team on the field.

Today we were disgraceful. Coming here means apologizing to our fans, to our board and to the journalists, because we know we did something today that should never happen in soccerAlberto Gamero

There was refereeing controversy involved, as tends to happen in these kinds of tight eliminations. But the coach didn't even want to go there. He chose instead to admit, flat out, that Barranquilla FC was better and that matters more than any questionable call.

I'm talking about my team, which is Millonarios, and I'll always defend it. That said, Barranquilla advanced today because they did things better than us. That much is clear. This isn't about arguing whether it was a penalty or not; Barranquilla earned the advance and we have to acknowledge thatAlberto Gamero

Failure, or just a bad day?

The question came up, as it inevitably would: was crashing out like this a failure? Gamero didn't dodge it, but he also wasn't willing to carry that word. For him there's a clear difference between missing out on an opportunity and failing as a project. Still, he didn't hesitate to admit that something went wrong.

The blow stings even more given the context: the Copa was, in the coach's own words, the shortest path back to fighting for a title. Before the match, Gamero had told his players exactly that, that they were just three games away from a final. Now that door has closed, and the only path left for the Bogota club is the league.

The coach admitted the elimination hit him hard personally, and that the squad isn't immune to that emotional blow either. The problem is there's not much time to dwell on it: Millonarios is back in action Thursday and needs to respond quickly.

I'm hurting a lot and I know the players are too. It really hurts to be eliminated, but I also have to acknowledge that the team that knocked us out earned their spotAlberto Gamero

Looking at what's left of the season, Gamero's message was one of responsibility without resignation. Turn the page, yes, but without forgetting what happened in Barranquilla. The goal remains to fight for a title and qualify for an international tournament, something the coach was insistent on making clear for the sake of the club's fans.

Now all of Millonarios' focus shifts to the league, the only front still open this season after the early Copa exit.