Jorge Bava would already have everything agreed with Cerro Porteño and would leave Santa Fe

Jorge Bava, DT of the tenth star of Santa Fe.

Photo: The spectator – Gustavo Torrijos

The continuity of Jorge Bava in Independiente Santa Fe seems to fight a thread. Although from the club they ensure that the Uruguayan coach will continue at the head of the team that has just taken to the title of the League, from Paraguay they insist that his departure to Cerro Porteño is imminent and could be officially confirmed this Thursday.

The president of Santa Fe, Eduardo Méndez, was clear this Tuesday at a press conference: “The possibilities that can be left are 99 percent.” According to him, the club does not seek technician and Bava's priority is to continue in Bogotá to fight the Libertadores and defend the crown achieved just a few months ago.

However, the version contrasts with what was reported on Wednesday by the journalist specialized in South American signings, César Luis Merlo. “Although the president of Santa Fe denied the departure, Jorge Bava will direct today before the DIM and tomorrow will travel to Paraguay to assume in Cerro Porteño. He leaves through the payment of the exit clause of about USD $ 200,000 and will sign until December 2026,” he wrote on his social networks.

DIM vs. Santa Fe, Bava's last game?

According to that version, this Wednesday's match in Medellín, against Independiente Medellín for the first leg of the Betplay Cup quarterfinals, would be the last one in Bava under the command of the lion. The Uruguayan arrived at the end of the first semester of 2025 and in a matter of weeks transformed the reality of the club, returning a title that seemed elusive and consolidating a winning project.

Santa Fe, however, insists that none of this is official. The club published a statement in which he maintains that the coach has a current contract. The president of the club, in fact, said that he goes until December and that his trip to Medellín, with a suitcase and uniform, shows that he is still linked to the team and that there is no agreement signed with Cerro Porteño.

Méndez, in addition, was emphatic: “As a result of a news that came out in the afternoon yesterday, where they assume that Professor Bava is going to work at Cerro Porteño, we made a statement where we talked that the technician has a contract until December.”

Along the same lines, the leader stressed that conversations with the coach have been focused on planning the international participation of Santa Fe: “With Professor Bava we have been talking all these months, thinking about the Libertadores and trying to find a good team to represent the country well.”

Although he acknowledged that the proposal of Cerro Porteño did arrive, the president reiterated that the Uruguayan coach told them that his priority is to continue in Colombia: “It is true that an offer from Cerro Porteño arrived, but he has told them that his priority is Santa Fe.”

The tension is that, while the directive maintains a speech of tranquility, the international press ensures that the output clause was already activated and that the link with Cerro Porteño would be closed. Thus, the immediate future of the coach would depend on an official announcement that could occur in a matter of hours.

For now, the only officer is the posture of Santa Fe: Jorge Bava stays. However, everything indicates that the story could change this Thursday, when it is defined whether the architect of the most recent cardinal title continues to lead the lion or undertakes a new adventure in Paraguayan football.

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