Chapecoense returned to the Brazil’s top-flight for the first time since 2019 after beating Figueirense 2 – 1 at the Arena Conda on Tuesday.
The club has encountered critical moments in the past six years but one which stood as the most painful of them all was an aircraft crash in 2016 which killed almost an entire squad including officials and journalists.
The only survivor of the plane crash, captain Alan Ruschel, has continued to play professionally and just last month, his contract was extended until the end of the coronavirus-interrupted season but did not feature against Figueirense due to injury.
Chapecoense were dealt another blow after news about the death of president Paulo Magro surfaced. He reportedly contracted coronavirus.
Magro had began attempts to get the club out of a dire financial situation following the resignation of Plinio David de Nes Filho, who had taken charge as a result of the tragedy in Colombia.
In the wake of their promotion to the Serie A, the club released a statement to celebrate the team’s success.
Thus, the statement read: “It was not easy to get here. It was much tougher than we imagined, in fact. But with work, humility, dedication, unity and, above all, with the STRENGTH FROM ABOVE, Chapecoense kept its promise. Chapecoense – made for the people, by the people – returned to the place it should never have left.
“It is Chape, of the impossible, of the surprising, of resilience and overcoming, again among giants.
“You can celebrate, fan. You can celebrate, president! With 66 points and four games left we have stamped our passport. Our return ticket. The beginning of another great story.”
Meanwhile, head coach Umberto Louzer urged the players not to celebrate promotion too hard because he hopes to see them return to the Brasileirao as champions.
Chape’s poor run prior to the Figueirense clash saw them surrender top spot to America Mineiro, who hold a one-point advantage.
“We can look back and see it was worth it. Thank you to everyone who helped us return to the first division,” he told SporTV.
“We still have a few games, we will fight America for the title. We have to celebrate, but rest because we already have to think about the next opponent.”
