Olimpia Players Face Violent Threats, Disturbing Paraguayan Football

Olimpia is facing serious issues on the field, which have now turned into troubling acts of violence against its players. On Saturday morning, someone spray-painted the words “win or lead” on the home of striker Derlis González, just hours after the team drew 1-1 with Sportivo Trinidense in the Clausura. González, who is injured, did not play in the match.

His father, Pablo González, shared with Radio Monumental that security cameras captured two people on a motorcycle arriving around 1 AM to leave the threatening message. Subsequently, González’s wife, Karimi Chávez, shared a photo of the graffiti on Instagram, saying: “There are fans who give their lives for the club, but nothing justifies this.”

The intimidation did not stop there; captain Richard Ortiz’s house was also vandalized with graffiti that labeled him a “mercenary” and called for him to leave the team. Local media pointed out that these incidents highlight growing frustrations that are spilling over from the stands into the players’ personal lives.

On the sporting front, Olimpia is having a tough season. Coach Ever Almeida took charge on August 27 as the team’s fourth manager this year, succeeding Ramón Díaz, Fabián Bustos, and Martín Palermo. However, the results have not improved: Olimpia currently ranks tenth out of twelve teams with only 13 points from 13 matches, trailing the leaders Guaraní by 12 points. The club has not won in its last three games and recently experienced a significant 4-1 loss to Nacional.

The mix of poor performance and violent behavior is casting a shadow over Paraguayan football, raising serious concerns about the safety of players and the environment surrounding one of the country’s most prestigious clubs.