The raw account of the kinesiologist of Vélez on the moment of the death of Manrique, the DT of the Reserve

The death of Hernán Manrique has shocked all of Vélez and the football environment in general. Palito, a former footballer remembered and who worked as a coach of Vélez Reserve together with Marcellus Bravo, would have started to feel bad during the technical interview and was assisted by the doctors who were on site. The decision was to transfer him to a clinic, but he didn’t resist and suffered a heart attack in the ambulance.

The situation was extremely traumatic. Is that the match between Vélez and Racing had started to be played, but had to be suspended after the first 45 minutes. The news, which reached everyone present at the Olympic Village, forced the suspension of the match.

Claudio Estenssoro, kinesiologist of the Fortín Reservepassed on to the microphones of F90, a program broadcast on ESPN, and provided some details of the hard time he lived inside the locker room. “Marcelo Bravo began to warn us that he didn’t see well”Extenssoro explained.

Then, he recounted how it was when Manrique started to feel bad: “Gabriel Del Rio, a reserve doctor, started treating him and it was decided to call an ambulance. Then, although he didn’t have a good face, he didn’t feel so bad”.

And he continued: “We went into the field and they were doing whatever needed to be done for the cure. He started decompensating and then went into cardiac arrest. All the maneuvers were done, he got out of unemployment and put him in the ambulance. In the ambulance he went on strike again and nothing can be done”.

Manrique’s career

Manrique, 49, had a long career in Argentine football as a player, and is best remembered for being part of the All Boys team that became champions in 1993 (they turned 30 in April). Palito’s name became even more popular when a few years after that consecration he made the decision to play in Nueva Chicago, Albo’s historical rival in promotion football, with which he managed to climb the First Division. He has also played soccer for Ecuador, Unión, Huracán and Chacarita, among other teams.

He has been defined as a right midfielder with a lot of pace, judgment and intelligence, which made him see a great virtue for dedicating himself to technical management. After having celebrated with All Boys and repeated with Chicago, he was resurrected, but with the shirt of Belgrano de Córdoba, in 1999.

During his coaching days, he dedicated himself to nurturing youth, making his mark in lower leagues at Vélez and this season has taken charge of the Reserves alongside Marcelo Bravo, another ex-footballer who has had to quit his football career at a very young age due to heart problems. The team, which experienced heartbreaking scenes this morning after learning of DT’s death, the top gear of the current Projection Tournament.

Last February, Manrique and Bravo had to lead the first team of Vélez after the departure of Cacique Medina, obtaining one of the few victories obtained by Fortín in this professional league, visiting Talleres de Córdoba. Once the arrival of Ricardo Gareca was finalised, the duo returned to lead the Reserve.

There is currently no information on a possible rescheduling of the Professional League match between Racing and Vélez which is expected to be played at night in Avellaneda, although it has emerged that Liniers would have asked for the match to be postponed given the impact Manrique’s death has got on the club.