Federico Potarski cannot stop Nicolás Fernández, the day he realized his dream of playing the Argentine Cup against San Lorenzo. Photo: Facebook
was called Federico Esteban PotarskyHe was a footballer and was 29 years old. But, like thousands of baseball workers, he had to work for something else to make a living. And that obligation, unfortunately, led to his death. while playing for Berazateguia team that plays in the First C, semi-mater category, the Viking managed to bring home some extra weight. Lately youHe worked as a driver for a travel app with his Fiat Uno Way. It was what he was doing Thursday night when he died of a blow to the head after suffering a robbery in the St. Petersburg villa, in the San Alberto neighborhood, one of the most unsafe areas of La Matanza.
His teammates from Berazategui learned of his death when they arrived for training early in the morning at the Ducilo club stadium. Nobody could or wanted to believe what had happened. They knew that in his spare time, when he wasn’t training or playing, he worked for Uber. In fact, most of the players in the division have one or more other jobs to make ends meet.
“In this category the majority have two jobs. There is the dream of playing football but to live you need another job“explained Franco Niell, former Argentinos Juniors and Gimnasia La Plata, among other clubs, who was Potarski’s teammate in Berazategui.
Potarski was wearing the Berazategui shirt, and had just been on the bench in Orange’s last game.
Throughout his career, Potarski has been able to face the difficult football of Ascent. It is that from his time to the Almirante Brown, in which he made the lower divisions, he has made a name for himself in the humblest categories of Argentine football. Raised in Isidro Casanova, he played as a central defender, and found its place in the world in 2016 when it arrived in Liniers.
After spending time with Deportivo Coreano, a community team playing in the town of Lobos, Potarski arrived at The bulldozer of the West, as Lineers is known. There she won the nickname of viking for his commanding voice and fighting spirit. A warlord.
When he arrived the club was in First D, but thanks to good returns he made a place among the owners and was one of the pillars of the team promoted to Primera C at the end of last year after beating Puerto Nuevo de Campana in the final.
Federico Potarski during his stay in Liniers, where he became a point of reference.
Before that goal, even with the jersey of the San Justo institute, he was crowned champion of the Opening of the Prima D 2019. However, the pandemic stopped the ball and prevented Liniers from making the leap of the category until the rematch at the end of last year.
There, with Celeste, he also had the pleasure of playing against San Lorenzo for the Argentine Cup on February 18, 2021. The result? It was 3 to 0 in favor of the Cyclone, which affirmed the difference in hierarchy in the squad. The victory, however, did not in the least overshadow the experience. That night, at the José María Minella stadium in Mar del Plata, Potarski was able to make a dream come true. Take on great Argentine football.
So, after being a symbol of Liniers, another great opportunity came to him. He joined Berazategui, also from the First C. and wanted to continue growing. “I arrive at a very nice and very popular club. The idea is to try to achieve the goals that were so close last year,” he said on the first day he wore the orange jacket in statements to Primera C Radio. .
Federico Potarski (center) with his friends. The footballer was killed in an attempted robbery. (Photo: Twitter)
As an introduction to GBA Southeast fans, they asked him to describe himself as a player and tell what he could bring to his new team. “I don’t like talking about myself, I prefer to be seen on the pitch, but I can say that my strength is the aerial game”, concluded Potarski, who finally would not be able to settle in the central defense of Berazategui.
It is that in the current Closing Tournament of the First C, he had not been a starter. Last weekend, against Lamadrid, he did not come off the bench. However, Berazategui manager Damián Troncoso has plans to put him in the starting lineup this Saturday against Real Pilar. The match, valid for the fifth date of the championship, has been suspended.
Fans of Boca, Riquelme and Almirante Brown
And just as many fans of Liniers and Berazategui had Federico as a reference, the footballer also showed his most footballing team on social media. His Twitter account of him, full of photos and tweets about Boca and Juan Román Riquelme, his great idol. On Facebook he launched something more for Almirante Brown’s team.
Like so many of Isidro Casanova’s boys, Federico was a fan of it the frigate, a club that has been able to train him in all the lower categories. “Pota”, as his teammates called him, owed his beginnings in football to the aurinegro, and that’s why he never stopped encouraging him. If anything is clear, it is that Potarski lived off and for football.
Federico with the clothes of Almirante Brown, one of the clubs of his loves. (Photo: Facebook)
This affection for Almirante Brown was clearly mutual, and Isidro Casanova’s club was one of the first to fire him just a couple of hours ago when his murder was confirmed.
“From the club we send our condolences to family and friends and ask for #JusticiaPorFede”they wrote from the club’s official account to fire another of the guys from the club.
And one of the first to mention this tweet from the La Matanza cast was Maximiliano Levy, president of Almirante Brown. At the publication, which also contained some photos of Potarski in the club shirt, the former La 12 added: “Unfortunately, worse every day.”
A word from Niell, his partner in Berazategui
The Berazategui players had to learn about the violent episode that ended Potarski’s life in the early hours of the morning when they arrived in training. There, they started reporting the incident and tried to contact the defender’s family. The one who came to speak on behalf of the campus was Niell.
The seasoned striker was leaving the Ducilo Municipal Club property and spoke to TyCSports. “We are very beaten. We found out earlier today what happened to Federico and we are all very hurt. We try to communicate with the family to support where we can “.
“We made the decision not to train, and not to play the game tomorrow (against Real Pilar). What we know is what was on TV, we don’t know much more than what happened. We found out this morning. when we got to training. We got together and I think I made the right decision. Our decision is not to play and for sure our date will be postponed, “he added.
To close, Niell made a portrait of Potarski: “He was a very professional guy, very good guy. He had a terrible urge and drive. Fede would play his first game as a starter tomorrow and they took his life in this way“.
They allegedly identified two minors involved in the murder of the Berazategui defender.
Potarski’s tragic death completes a black week in Prima C. The fact is that Sunday the category was spoiled by a barrage attack in the classic Luján-Alem. A group of violent men from General Rodríguez’s club attacked local fans with bullets and killed 18-year-old Joaquín Coronel.
Now we add the murder of Potarski, who allegedly was approached by four minors, who apparently shot him in cold blood in one of the corridors of Villa San Petesburgo.
Match suspended and AFA announcement
Through Twitter, the AFA expressed solidarity with Potarski’s family and announced it the match between Berazategui and Real Pilar, scheduled for this Saturday, has been suspended.
Source: Clarin
