Cienciano head coach Horacio Melgarejo dismissed questions about his side's poor domestic start following a 6-1 victory against Botafogo in Cusco.
The Argentine manager reacted coolly when asked during a post-match press conference about his team's form in Peru's Liga 1. After a journalist described the club's domestic situation as worrisome, Melgarejo smiled, paused, and declined to discuss their league standing, asking whether it was worrisome before requesting the next question.
Prior to taking questions, Melgarejo set a lighthearted tone with reporters by asking them to inquire about anything except why his team had not scored more goals against the Brazilian side. The manager was speaking after a round of 16 first-leg match in the Copa Sudamericana in which Cienciano secured an emphatic five-goal advantage despite missing key players Santiago Arias and Carlos Garcés, relying instead on strong contributions from substitutes who entered from the bench.
Peruvian league record and table standings
The impressive international result stands in contrast to Cienciano's domestic form in the Torneo Clausura, the second tournament of the Peruvian season. After four matchdays, the Cusco club occupies 16th place in the standings with three points, having recorded one victory and three defeats alongside a minus three goal difference.
However, Cienciano maintain a much stronger position in the season's aggregate table, which combines points from both domestic phases. Melgarejo's team currently sits in third place overall with 36 points, trailing only Alianza Lima and Los Chankas while remaining level on points with Universitario.
Cienciano, based in the high-altitude Andean city of Cusco, is one of Peru's most historic football institutions and gained international prominence by winning the Copa Sudamericana in 2003. The tournament is South America's second-tier annual club competition, organized by South American football governing body CONMEBOL, featuring top teams from across the continent including Brazilian contenders such as Rio de Janeiro-based Botafogo.
Upcoming fixtures and return leg
Cienciano now prepare to shift focus back to domestic competition before travelling to Brazil for the return leg against Botafogo. The Cusco side returns to Liga 1 action on Sunday, August 16, facing local rivals Deportivo Garcilaso, who currently lead the Clausura table with nine points.
