Bonilla on Real Estelí’s international title hunt: “I would like to make it a reality”

MIAMI — Real Estelí FC is in the final of the Concacaf Central American Cup for the second consecutive year as the team strives to win the club’s first international title.

From the start, the 2023 runners-up have been one of the top sides in the current CCAC edition. Real Estelí got the campaign underway with a strong performance in the group stage, recording two wins, a draw, and a loss.

The Nicaraguan side then eliminated CD Águila of El Salvador in the quarterfinals before advancing past CS Herediano on away goals after a heroic late comeback to tie 2-2 on aggregate in the semifinals.

For Byron Bonilla, the return to the final presents another shot at history for Nicaraguan soccer.

“I have a feeling of happiness because we’ve had a great performance so far in this tournament,” Bonilla told Concacaf.com. “Personally, I would like to make it a reality, make it a reality for this institution, for what it represents for Nicaraguan football.

“It would be more than nice to give such joy to Nicaragua, but more than anything to these people of Estelí who live football, who dream of it, and who want this cup,” added Bonilla.

Bonilla has been a critical member of Real Estelí’s success throughout the tournament. He’s featured in all eight matches for Real Estelí, being the team’s top contributor in attack with three goals and an assist.

The 31-year-old versatile midfielder now aims for a second international title on his resume, having won the Concacaf League in 2019 as a player for Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa.

“The main goal is to be a champion, the rest doesn’t matter to me,” said Bonilla.

“I don’t know if I’m going to aspire to be the top scorer,” he continued. “Of course, I dream about that. I would like to compete with the current top scorer, who coincidentally is one of their players, Diego Campos, but the main thing is to be a champion.

“The second is to continue showing what I’m made of. I think I showed everyone that coming to Nicaragua wasn’t a step backwards in my career, I think it was perhaps the most important and the biggest step I’ve taken. So, I want to finish it as it should be, as I want, which would be lifting the title.”

Once again, the Nicaraguan club will face LD Alajuelense. The two met in the final of the 2023 edition, won by the Costa Rican side 4-1 on aggregate.

For Bonilla, the team’s focus isn’t on avenging last year’s loss but on Real Estelí’s progression over the past season, which has awarded them another chance at the regional trophy.   

“It’s not revenge,” said Bonilla. “They won the last tournament very well. Now we want to focus and play a good final game here at home, then there at their home.

“Alajuelense is a great rival, I have known them for years, it is a great institution and I think they also play to win, so it will be a great final,” Bonilla continued. “The truth is that it is different, the players from the last tournament are different from this one. We don’t want to say that we are better or inferior, we don’t see it that way, it is simply going to be a very tough final.”