Rodrigo Larre and a Vélez ready to fly

Rodrigo Larre is the captain of Primera A de Vélez. They have been wearing the ribbon for four years, and although in 2025 they were left with a bitter taste for not being able to promote, this season started out very favorable for Fortín. Exclusively with AM850.com, he analyzed 2026 compared to last year and what he is looking for as the commander of this team.

With only four dates played, Vélez leads the B2 Metropolitan Tournament table with four victories and more than 20 goals scored. Furthermore, they have been with the same coaching staff for four years, and that also helps certain things to flow naturally. “We know that we are in another stage, we have been building a gaming entity for 4 years that we try to maintain”Rodrigo commented. The most difficult thing about the B tournament is maintaining the pace, since there are free dates every weekend, and the difference with the top category is large. “We try to regulate the intensity, last year we started in the same way, very well, and then we punctured the second half”.

The B tournament is divided into two different tournaments. The first half of the year, where the important thing is to add the greatest number of points, and then in the second semester to be grouped into two zones, one plays in search of promotion, and the other maintains status. In 2025 they finished fifth, staying on the threshold of promotion – since the first three teams returned to A – and they do not want history to repeat itself. “For 3 years we have been staying there for one or two games, so we will try to reach the final dates with more life”said.

There are three teams that were relegated in 2025: Banfield, BANADE and San Fernando B. They are not impossible matches, but they are one of the most difficult rivals of the year. Vélez shares an area with Banfield and Sanferand although the Victoria club already beat them, they have a different preparation than the rest of the tournament. “We put it in our heads that with those teams that are going to be in the fight with us there are 3 games and we try to get a good result in this first round, but we know that those in the second half, the round trip match, are going to be the decisive ones.” Adding now is important, but the real objective is in the second round. In any case, the second cannot exist without the first, and step by step he is building a Vélez that is hungry to get that promotion.

“As captain, my goal is to build, try to sow this sense of belonging, transmit it from generation to generation and that that flame of what Vélez hockey is for us always remains intact”. He has been the captain for four years, and despite always being one of the youngest, today he has to be one of the oldest, and part of his job is to transmit everything that previous players, important for the club, taught them, and this way you can instill it in the younger ones.