For the Bianchini, Platense is tradition. They were all born with the Brown shirt on: grandfather Luis, father Angelito and his son Pablo, three different generations with the same surname and the same feeling. When Pablo was little, his uncle Osvaldo spent every Sunday with his ranch in Correa and Quintana – the corner of the house where his grandmother lived – to carry the rest of the family on the way to the field, including Uncle Hugo and his cousin Oscar . The previous one, of course, was always accompanied by a good barbecue. They were golden times for Platense, who enjoyed the permanence in the First Division.
The method did not matter: whatever the form it remained in the elite. So much so that even the club itself had become a ghost for relegation. And the myth grew much more with the 3-2 to River in 1987 and the thrashing of Boca 4-0 in 1998, with Turco Hanuch as the scorer and figure in La Bombonera …
But Alejo (22), Luca (17) and Thiago (14) Bianchini did not have the same fate as Pablo (50), his father. The family tradition continued and by inheritance the three are partners of Platense from the moment of their birth, although they had to see another story. The games went from Sundays to Saturdays or weekdays, and there were no longer any possibilities of heroic triumphs against the greats of First. The Squid lost the category 22 years ago and started his wandering for the Ascent, between the Nacional and the B Metropolitana, with the horizon of becoming increasingly distant.
From right to left: Pablo, Thiago (three years old) and Angelito Bianchini, going to the Platense field.
The story of Alejo, Luca and Thiago is also that of as many fans of Marrón whose document number is higher than 41 million, or more simply, who were born after 1999, after the last season of Platense in the elite. It was a dark time in Saavedra from then on. The descents did nothing but drive one knife into the other in the sporting life of the Squid, who seemed to be losing his identity in a slow and heavy agony: that of knowing that he did not belong to that place called Ascenso, that of feeling that it was a First-class club, even if it cost him a lot to return.
Look also
Anyway, the rain didn’t last forever. And the history of the youngest Bianchini within the family tree, as well as that of so many other boys from Platense who endured the bad campaigns of the team, began to change. Pablo, who had been part of the leadership but had moved away, He became involved again at the request of his children and became president of the Vicente López institution. In May 2018, two weeks after the death of his father Angelito, Platense was champion of the Metropolitan B tournament on the Lanús court and promoted to the National team to, in just two years and with Bianchini in command, make his long-awaited return to First division: that place that the youngest fans longed for so much.
In Ole We will tell you the story that unites Platense and the Bianchini family for life, in the voice of Pablo -who broke down in tears with emotion-, Luca and Thiago.
– How did the history of this family with the club begin?
– Pablo: The history of our surname has to do with a fundamental characteristic: all of us Bianchini are from Platense. There is not a Bianchini who is not a member of Platense and his whole life had to do with going to the field. My grandfather Luis, who was 96 years old, kept going to the field. We were going with my old man, I don’t have him today, but I know that from heaven he must be very happy. With my uncles, with my cousins, with Carlitos Bianchini, who is also part of the great history of the club and one of the stands of the stadium bears his name… Then my children followed him. We all have fanaticism and it is in our blood. We are pure fans, only from Platense. These guys have lived through the part of a story that I had not touched. When I was a boy I grew up with Platense in First, the generation of these boys saw another reality. My generation told them what the history of Platense is in First.
Look also
– Do you remember, guys, the first times you went to the court?
– Thiago: We went with grandfather, father, cousins and Alejo, our brother. We passed the bridge (Zapiola) and we were already on the court, we were very young.
– What makes you see Platense in the highest category of Argentine soccer for the first time in your lives?
– Luca: It’s inexplicable, I can’t believe it. In 2018 we were in Metropolitan B. That year we played with River for the Argentine Cup and for us that was already a dream. It would never have occurred to me, it’s very shocking. When Jorge (De Olivera) saved the penalty, I collapsed. He couldn’t explain what he felt, it was beautiful.
The Bianchini, with the trophy of promotion to the First National in 2018.
– Pablo, why did you decide to go back to being the club’s leader?
– Pablo: These two (his sons) are the ones who forced me a bit to get back in as a leader, they asked me thinking that maybe one could do something so that they could live that dream. I promised them that Platense was going to return to Primera and that together we were going to see him at the River and Boca courts. We will be able to make that dream come true.
– Did you imagine it like that, in this way, with your father as president?
– Thiago: Yes. My old man will always do what he can to fulfill our dreams. He is a fighter.
– Luca: I imagined it, but not so fast. I did not think that in two years we were going to be playing in First. But this chabón is a genius, a crack, ha.
Look also
– What does all this generate for you, Pablo?
– Pablo: It gives me a lot of emotion. In Rosario I did not have them with me, because of the pandemic they had to stay at home. They come to all the fields with me, they saw the bad ones … It excites me. On Sunday I tried to hold my ground, because I didn’t have them. I also think of all the boys like them who always cried with sadness for Platense … I’m sure they cried with joy the other day. Dreams can come true. On Sunday I didn’t cry on the court, but seeing them today makes me very excited.
– What was the biggest madness that you saw your father do for Platense?
– Luca: Being president of a club like Platense is already a giant madness. It’s a beautiful club, but screwed up. The maximum madness is that they have achieved this, take Platense to First.
The Bianchini at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
– How did you transmit that passion for Squid to your children?
– Pablo: These two dwarves carry it in their blood. Those of us from Platense are from the heart, from all our lives. We are of the colors. We have a very strong identification with our club, with the neighborhood, with our history … These kids are dressed all day in Platense. They get up and go to bed dressed as Platense. They knew how to capture the passion that I lived with my old man and my grandfather. We have taken these to the court since they were babies. This is hereditary, it is carried in the blood. I am sure that tomorrow I will go with my grandson to the field. This tradition is not going to be cut, it is what kept us alive in the worst time in our history. Now that something cuter is coming, it will be much stronger.
– What were the stories of Platense in Primera that you told them?
– Pablo: When I was a boy we used to meet on the corner of my grandmother’s house and we would go with my uncle Osvaldo’s ranch to any field. We all went upstairs: my old man, my grandfather, my cousins … Platense was in the First Division and there was no other day than Sundays. It was eating a barbecue and going out to the court. I told my children about that beautiful time that I had to live: when we were saved from relegation every year, the 3-2 to River, the 4-0 to Boca … I saw seven hundred thousand goals from Turco Hanuch in La Bombonera times with them, ha. I was telling them the beautiful story of Platense… Now we are going to be able to live a new chapter together.
Look also
– And what crossed your mind when De Olivera saved that last penalty?
– Pablo: The first thing I thought about was my children. They accompanied me to the strangest courts we have ever played on, always. It was looking at them when we entered the field and holding them so they don’t fall, so they don’t cry … I thought of the three of them, my old man, my family up there. In some historical club like Turquito Hanuch, who we lost recently … I also thought about those who support me, who are the boys, my old woman, my partner and my sister, who is not having a good time. But I thought positive. I walked onto the court, got down on my knees, thanked my old man and connected with him.
– Was it the same as how you guys dreamed it?
– Luca: We always dream about this. At school I had a group of friends who were very football fans, they started talking about the First Division and I couldn’t. I always dreamed of being in that talk. It was the most important night of my life, I will never feel something like that.
– Now they will be able to use Platense on the PlayStation …
– Luca: When I played with my friends I didn’t know which team to choose, ha. Now it is going to be Platense all the parties!
Look also
– What makes you know that in a short time you are going to play against teams like River de Gallardo or Boca de Russo?
– Pablo: It gives me great satisfaction, it is the place where Platense has to be. And I’m not saying it: history says so. After 22 years in the Ascent, Platense continues to be the sixteenth team with the most matches in the First Division of Argentine football. It is the place where it should always have been. This also means a great joy for me because the boys will be able to see it in the highest category. We are going to see Platense in First as I did with my old man. With him we went to all the fields. And now I’m going to go with them, do you understand me? And we are going to enjoy it, because apart from that we are going to beat them, ha, as we have done many times …
Look also
Look also
Look also
