Add two promotions in just three and a half years. Historical record of unbeaten record in the club, with 706 minutes without conceding goals. He hasn’t missed even a minute since he arrived in 2017. With his penalty saved, he returned Platense to Primera after 22 years. Jorge De Olivera revived alongside the Squid. This 38-year-old goalkeeper with a racing past is not just another story. It is a story of overcoming. It is the message that it is never too late to go for one last dream.
He himself explains it in a one-on-one with Ole. “I revived. I had decided to retire when Platense called me. I came from a year in Colombia (Deportivo Pasto), where I stopped the first semester and the second I was stopped due to a knee injury. I went back to the country waiting for a call from Tigre that I never received and Bardaro, a friend, Fernando Ruiz’s assistant, appeared and they invited me to join the project, ”says the goalkeeper, today already an idol of Marrón, where he will tackle again in Primera later eight years old. “It doesn’t take my sleep to return to the top flight. I wanted to return the club to Primera. I know of the suffering and sadness that the fans carried with them for so many years and it is an enormous happiness ”, adds Jorge.
-When Platense called you, I was in Primera B Metropolitana, I don’t think you imagined being in Primera today …
-The truth is that no, it was all too round. They did tell me about a serious project, which is what has been seen for years. The main objective was to climb quickly that first year to the B Nacional and we succeeded. But I didn’t imagine this first thing so fast. Yes it was a question of time because the group is mature and has a very clear objective, but I no longer had time. It was that chance … Very difficult to have a final like the one we played at 38 years old …
-What did you feel when you saved the decisive penalty?
-Ufff, I remember everything … The first thing is that while walking towards the arch I heard the line tell Pitana “if he fails, Platense wins.” It was a motivational message that I had never had in my life. There I fell that I was a penalty from going back to First with Platense. He was sure he was stopping him, he sensed that he was going to kick him as he kicked since he came walking. Luckily it happened.
-When did you realize that you were to ascend? The penalty that Riestra misses, which left them out, was an important signal …
-If you ask me about something specific, of course that penalty could have changed the history of everyone, of the club … But in general we were a solid team, which almost never suffered and did not have a bad time throughout the Reduced. We never ran from behind and we did not play in the final because of goal differences and because of that too rare match between Estudiantes RC and Agropecuario, which I don’t want to talk about again. That’s it, it’s over. And we finished as we deserved …
-And now comes First …
-Yes, I’m happy for the fans and the younger players. I think we changed the mentality of La Plata. Enough of suffering and negative thinking. We had two finals to go up two categories and we won them. This club is first class, it’s not a verse … Everyone knows it. Now we have to take care of everything we build to keep the club where it came from.
-In which court do you want to save again?
-I had already said that I wanted to fall into the Racing group because it is a club that I love very much and I owe my experience in Primera. It’s our turn at home, but I’m still going to enjoy it. The reality is that I am happier to return the club to Primera than to stop myself, I already did.
-They make their debut no less than in the classic against Argentines …
-Beautiful … Beyond the chicanes, I think the Argentine fan must also want to play against Platense. A classic of Argentine soccer returns to the First Division and we are going to play it as such. Above I have Gabriel Hauche in front of me, who is a friend, we are going to play him with clenched teeth and with great seriousness as this team did throughout the tournament.
-You still have much left?
-The truth is that I feel barbarian. As I said before, I have been reborn since I came to Platense. I want to keep tackling until I feel like I can do it and if it is possible to retire in Platense, which is the club that I learned to love and I feel very loved.
-And the day after?
-I want to be a technician. I already have an armed work team and for a long time I have seen each practice with a double look, the goalkeeper and also the coach. I was lucky to have worked with great technicians such as Simeone, Basile, Martino, Bauza, Zubeldia … I took something from all of them, I always rescued the best of each one that went through my career and also what I did not like, because it is a way of trying to be a little bit better every day. I am looking forward to everything to come.
-But before you must have something pending with Platense, or not?
– One always wants more, but they say that the most difficult thing is to stay. That’s what we aim for. And for a long time …