Nicolás Muscio’s odyssey to return to football: from his debut in Coudet Champion Racing to managing a pharmacy

Before starting, Nicolás Muscio clarifies that he has not retired from football: “I’m looking for a team. Two weeks ago it was all closed with a sledgehammer and it fell at the last minute“, he tells Clarín in the La Boca Pharmacy.

His name appeared when the couple thousands of Chacho Coudet racing champion It shone brightly. After the sensational appearances of Musso, Lautaro Martínez and Zaracho (two of the boys who played in that cycle), another Tita boy arrives in the First Division, with the enthusiasm that this generates in the fans and managers who have inflated the club’s fortunes thanks to the legendary and inexhaustible seedbed of Sarandí.

But Muscio didn’t have many opportunities. He made his debut against Tigre in the 2019 League Cup, but it was his debut and farewell.

In a way, Nicolás Muscio’s family was instrumental in the development of another of the quarry’s stars. This is Matías Zaracho. They met in their youth, “at the age of seven,” Nico recalls, clarifying: “We weren’t that close at first.” But then they would become a family.

The fact is that Marta, Muscio’s grandmother, saw the effort that the Zarachos (Aída and Juan De Dios) made to bring Mati to train Tita. Then they “adopted” him as one of their own. And Negrito began to eat at Nico’s grandmother’s every day. They became inseparable, they did all the inferiors together, even if their paths began to diverge.

El Negrito was the key to Coudet’s title. He also scored the goal that closed the Avellaneda classic and opened the championship after Lisandro López’s epic run.

At that time, Nico watched from the audience like another fan and waited for his turn. The opportunity came in the following championship, in the League Cup format, against Tigre. But he never played again, despite the expectation generated among the fans that Zaracho would meet “his soul brother”, now on the pitch.

Muscio no longer had a chance and went on loan to Temperley. And, when he was in Gasolero, the Pandemic struck him.

In those days, with football at a standstill and the salaries of the players at risk, Muscio panicked and launched a strong defense on the goals: “The Ascenso players are not millionaires, nor are we having fun”.

“Many of my colleagues finish their contracts in June and don’t know if they will renew it. I see many people who say ‘they should get a shovel, dedicate themselves to something else, it’s not that difficult’. Unfortunately it is difficult to find work at the moment.“He anticipated, as if he knew what was going to happen.

At that time, his friend Zaracho went to Atlético Mineiro in exchange six million dollars for 50% of the pass.

Muscio greeted on Twitter with joy at the big step his friend was taking with his first move abroad: “See you later, brother! Thank you for everything you have given to Racing and nothing better than being able to experience it up close for you, eternal thanks!! Many successes.”

He passed through the Deportivo Armenio ingloriously and returned to Avellaneda. In January 2022 he terminated his contract with the Academy. after some short circuits with the leaders who did not recover a debt. He arrived at Argentinos de Quilmes with the pass in his possession and then, in 2023, he moved to Sportivo Belgrano of Federal A where he played only 13 games until the end of last year.

It was there that he ran out of bat and had to go out and find his way elsewhere.

“I was able to work in the pharmacy thanks to my daughter’s maternal family, I have an excellent relationship with all of them and They opened the doors of the pharmacy to me so that I can have an income“, he told Clarín in the Farmacia Rodríguez in La Boca.

Far from giving up, Muscio continues to train to be ready for the first offer he receives to return to doing what he is passionate about: “In the morning I train and in the afternoon I work hoping that an offer will arrive and I can continue to make a living from football, which is what I love.”, he tells Clarin.

Two weeks ago Muscio was close to returning to the field: “15 days ago I had almost everything closed with Colegiales but he fell at the last minute, so let’s wait for something good to arrive.” Furthermore he added: “They offered me to adapt as a hitch and well, in the end they got a classic and regular hitch.

Muscio, an Academy fan since birth, now follows the club with fond memories of the past: “I have a relationship with many people at the club who always ask me how things are going. I am also aware that at this moment it is impossible to return to the club, so I take it calmly that they do not communicate, but I speak to many with whom I have a good relationship.”