For the first time in more than a decade, the familiar sight of Ateneo de Manila University in the UAAP Collegiate Men’s Football Final Four will be missing.
The Blue Eagles’ long postseason streak — stretching back to Season 77 — came to a sudden halt after a late-season collapse left them on the outside looking in, ending an era of consistent semifinal appearances in Katipunan.
Ateneo’s elimination stemmed from a three-game stretch that yielded just a single point. A draw against archrival De La Salle University, followed by back-to-back losses to University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University, ultimately proved too costly for the Katipunan-based squad.
Reflecting on the disappointing campaign, head coach JP Merida pointed to the team’s inability to secure a single victory when the tournament resumed in January as the defining factor. The Blue Eagles were overtaken in the standings as La Salle capitalized, sealing the final Final Four berth with a 2-1 win over top seed University of the Philippines last Sunday.
“For me, I cannot blame the last game, but we had an opportunity after that break,” Merida said.
“We had three games pero we got one point lang, which is the reason, I think, we didn’t deserve to reach the Final Four. It’s a very disappointing thing. Season 76 yung last namin na hindi kami nag-semifinal.”
Merida refused to lean on excuses, instead acknowledging that a lack of urgency during the long break may have played a role.
The UAAP season paused to give way to the Under-22 national team’s preparations for the recent Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“I will not make an excuse. Siguro yung break isa yung mga kailangan namin i-address, maybe we were complacent during break,” he lamented.
“If we just got three points in those three games, we would have made it.”
The Blue Eagles’ campaign was further complicated by significant roster setbacks before and during the season. Ateneo lost key midfielder Andy Roxas to an ACL injury in a preseason friendly, followed by another ACL injury suffered by defender Jethro Flores.
Adding to their woes, the team was also without Andres Gonzalez, who was ruled ineligible due to documentation delays.
Despite the adversity, Merida remained firm in holding the team accountable.
“We have players, but we’re not good enough, siguro, for this season. It’s very challenging, but again, that’s not an excuse.”
With the season ending earlier than expected, Ateneo has already turned its attention to UAAP Season 89.
Merida and his staff are now navigating a highly competitive recruitment landscape while reassessing their current roster and tactical approach in hopes of addressing the gaps that led to the premature exit.
“Our situation is very challenging in terms of academics. The challenge right now is that there are a lot of UAAP teams trying to get [recruits],” said the three-time champion mentor. “The best thing to hope for is that they will choose Ateneo. We are looking forward to the recruits deciding to go to Ateneo to bounce back.
“Right now, we need to go back to the drawing board. It’s the best move for the next season. We need to go back on all our games and check all the players and their capabilities. We will see just how we will give our best for Ateneo.”
