Teofilo Gutierrez asks Junior fans to back Sebastian Viera after 4-1 win over Fortaleza

Four goals in Bogota and a losing streak that's finally in the rearview mirror. That summed up the latest weekend for Junior, who thrashed Fortaleza 4-1 and gave Sebastian Viera his first bit of relief since taking over on the bench.

The Uruguayan coach arrived at the Colombian back-to-back champions in the middle of a rough stretch, the same one that ultimately cost Alfredo Arias his job. It wasn't an easy start: this win didn't come until his third match in charge of the team. But it came, and in Barranquilla that already feels like relief.

One person celebrating with special warmth is Teofilo Gutierrez. The forward, an absolute leader in the squad, made no secret of his optimism about this new stage and asked for something very specific: for fans to get behind Viera at this moment.

"Junior is a very big club in Colombia, it has prestige, a very passionate fan base that we've gotten used to winning for. The coastal fans love good soccer. What I want most is for things to go well for Seba, because he's a teammate of mine, because he gave a lot to this club, he deserves plenty of applause, I want the fans to fill the stadium, to back him at this moment"Teofilo Gutierrez

That bond between Teo and Viera is no coincidence: they were teammates on the squad, and for the forward that matters when talking about the new coach. He's not talking about just any coach, he's talking about someone who, in his words, "gave a lot to this club."

The warning about Colombian soccer

Teo also weighed in on the return to Colombian first division of heavyweight names from the national team, like James Rodriguez, Juan Guillermo Cuadrado and Juan Fernando Quintero. For the forward, adapting won't happen automatically, no matter the resume they bring with them.

"Colombian soccer is tough. A lot of people think it's easy. It's not easy because of the fields, because you have to play at altitude, then go play in Barranquilla. It's like World Cup qualifying. It's not easy and they're going through that, they're feeling it, just like I felt it. Here in Colombia you have to show love to all the players, in general Colombians love their players"Teofilo Gutierrez

The comparison to World Cup qualifying isn't random: different fields, different climates, grueling travel. He lived through all of that himself in his day, and that's why he's asking for patience for the ones arriving now.

With the 4-1 win over Fortaleza as a first step, the question hanging over Barranquilla is whether Viera can sustain that improvement. For now, he has one of the most influential players in the locker room on his side, convinced that the project can take off if the fans get behind it.