176 games, 31 goals, 26 assists and seven titles. Those were the numbers left by the cycle of Luciano Aued (35) at the Catholic University. The steering wheel arrived in Las Condes in July 2017, stating in his presentation that he wanted to leave a markand at the end of 2022 he left as a benchmark for the institution.
Now, yes, Aued focuses on a new challenge, since for a few days he has already been part of Unión de Santa Fe. “I am very happy and with the greatest possible illusion of doing things well”says the trans-Andean in a chat with AS via Zoom.
– On your arrival in Unión, you said that you proposed a clause in your contract: that if you had a heart problem again, you would terminate it. It is a very appreciated gesture…
– After what happened to me, obviously that topic comes up in any club, person or fan and they don’t pay much attention in the last six months. And well, it’s a peace of mind for me and others, but above all to make it clear that I like to earn my money working. I consider myself an honest person and that’s how my parents raised me. I know I feel good, so I gave the club peace of mind so that they put that clause in case something goes wrong. The same thing happened to me in Católica.
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– In that way?
– I had told them that I didn’t want to charge for the time I was away, but the club didn’t want to. They understood that it was something that had touched me and they could afford that. In that case there was trust. But hey, when you arrive at a new club it’s better to go there. Put a clause and let them see what kind of person you are.
– What reflection do you make today of life after facing such a complex health problem?
– It was a hard blow. I didn’t expect to go through these situations being so young, but one consults with different specialists and it is somewhat hereditary. Everyone agrees that it is not normal for an athlete. But hey, I accepted it and luckily nothing serious happened to me and I was able to return to football. A few days after the intervention, I already wanted to start moving to feel alive and have my sights set on returning.
– About your departure from Chile: what did you feel when you took the plane to Argentina, already having to accept that your great stage in our country had ended?
– We were digesting it with the family before making the decision. I understood that it was necessary to close my stage, finish it well. They had been five and a half wonderful years, where we had had a great time, and the club was very happy with me. They wanted me to stay, the fans the same, and that is something very pleasant, very nice for me, for my family, because they made us feel at home. Logically, it’s not easy to leave after having such a good time, but one must have the peace of mind that they are doing the right thing. You also look for new challenges… Such is sport and life.
– What would you highlight about Chile? By the way, a good part of the population tends to find praise absurd, arguing with serious crime problems…
– But that happens in all countries. In Argentina a lot happens and the bad is always highlighted and not the good, which is much greater. In my case, in Chile I found a very beautiful country, where I was very well received. As I said from the first day, I understood that the place where I lived did not reflect the reality of the country, but I did meet wonderful people.
– Have you ever experienced a security problem?
– I had to suffer what you say, that they break into my house, but it is something normal that can happen anywhere. Although that does not mean that I felt very comfortable and very happy. Chile has a lot of tools to continue growing. There are wonderful people, very hard-working and very humble.
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– What will you miss most about Chile?
– To the club, going to train, going to the field as a family, that connection that there was all these years and the peace of mind to live in the part that touched me. My daughter had also started the garden and the truth is that we were very happy. To this day she asks me ‘Dad, when do we go back to the little house in Chile?’ It becomes difficult, but hey… In Argentina we are close to family, affection, friends, and that was also greatly missed.
– Do you assimilate that he became a benchmark for UC and a respected guy in Chilean soccer?
– I always understood that, beyond the titles we had to get, you have to be respectful in victory and defeat. You must not get carried away by that momentary foam that gives you success, which is often confusing. It is knowing how to understand that in football it is day to day and well, ‘if this has already happened, we have to continue’, because we cannot live on what happened. If you see the messages that I have given, always after achieving something, it was highly valued, because it cost a lot. And it will cost…
– 2022 was difficult for Católica…
– He gave us proof of that. It is not easy to stay as successful as we have been during this time. It is not easy to win again after having won everything… But I remain calm and at the same time I continue to appreciate all the love and respect that they have given me, especially in the football and human aspects, when I had to go through complicated problems.
– What does UC mean in your life?
– It is a club that marked me forever. I had the chance to experience so many emotions together… My wife and I arrived alone, shortly after my father died, then my daughter Charito was born, who is what I love the most in the world, and I also had to experience injuries, lift trophies and the heart problem… It was an ups and downs of emotions that makes Católica a special place for me. He will always be in my heart and I think it is reciprocated. It will remain over time and that leaves me calm and very happy… It is a place where we will always want to return with my family.
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