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“Beyond the discomfort with which Vélez made us play, we did not find each other. Soccer-wise we try with variants but we don’t find each other. And when the team plays badly there are not many explanations. We play bad. We are aware of that and we must improve for the next match. The series, thanks to the result, is open. We have to be aware that we cannot play worse than this. We will try to change the image next week”
With that categorical phrase, Marcelo Gallardo made it clear that he took note of what happened at the José Amalfitani and that River Plate will seek to turn the series tonight at the Monumental. In the first leg, those commanded by Cacique Medina prevailed 1-0 thanks to a goal from Lucas Janson.
* The images of the meeting in Liniers
Although the cycle of the Doll in the Millionaire at the international level is more than successful, the truth is that within his history he has mixed luck when he succumbed in the first confrontation in a heads-up match in the Copa Libertadores: three times he passed the round and three others fell by the wayside.
2015 vs. Cruzeiro (0-1 the first leg and 3-0 the return): CLASSIFIED
After eliminating Boca in the remembered episode of “pepper spray”, one of the first great feats of River Plate at the hands of Marcelo Gallardo occurred in Belo Horizonte for the quarterfinals. Despite the emotional momentum that meant eliminating their classic rival Boca Juniors, Núñez’s men fell 1-0 at the Monumental against the Brazilians due to a goal from Marquinhos.
However, in Mineirao, the Argentines resurfaced and with goals from Carlos Sánchez, Jonatan Maidana and Teo Gutiérrez they thrashed away and secured their passage to the next round.
2016 vs. Independiente del Valle (0-2 first leg and 1-0 return): ELIMINATED
Despite arriving as defending champion and advancing as one of the first in the group stage, those from Muñeco received an unexpected blow in the round of 16 against one of the Cinderellas of that edition: Independiente del Valle de Ecuador. The height of Quito played its part in the Atahualpa Olympic Stadium and the Ecuadorians took a 2-0 lead (goals from José Angulo and Junior Sornoza). In the second leg, although he was vastly superior in the game, River only achieved a 1-0 victory that did little good.
2017 vs. Jorge Wilstermann (0-3 the first leg and 8-0 the return): CLASSIFIED
One of the most epic and historic comebacks in the history of the Copa Libertadores. The height, this time from Cochabamba, dealt River Plate another blow by falling 3-0 at the Félix Capriles Stadium.
When everything seemed to be in favor of the Bolivians, the Millionaire got a mythical 8-0 at the Monumental thanks to Nacho Scocco (four goals), Enzo Pérez (author of a brace) and Nacho Fernández.
2018 vs. Guild (0-1 the first leg and 2-1 the return): CLASSIFIED
An agonizing and important victory under the command of the Doll took place in Porto Alegre. The Brazilians, who went through the group stage as the second-best first, struck at the Antonio Vespucio Liberti by winning with a goal from Michel. The second leg, at the Arena do Gremio, also started downhill as Leo Gomes opened the scoring in the first half. The match was dying and everything indicated that Núñez’s men were going to say goodbye to the competition again, but with goals from Rafael Santos Borré (84 minutes) and Pity Martínez (94), they sealed their ticket to the final, in which They would lift the most important trophy in their history by winning the definition against Boca Juniors in Madrid.
2020 vs. Palmeiras (0-3 the first leg and 2-0 the return leg): ELIMINATED
It was close to the comeback in the semifinals, but it did not reach the River Plate team. Verdao, the best first team in the group stage, thrashed River Plate 3-0 with goals from Rony, Luiz Adriano and Uruguayan Matías Viña. In the return leg, despite the bleak outlook, those led by the Muñeco were one step away from forcing penalties by winning 2-0 (Robert Rojas and Rafael Santos Borré). The Brazilians would later proclaim themselves champions.
2021 vs. Atlético Mineiro (0-1 the first leg and 0-3 the return leg): ELIMINATED
In this edition, as a result of a major coronavirus outbreak, the Millionaire suffered more than necessary to advance the kill-kill. After winning against Argentinos Juniors, Atlético Mineiro, who came from being the executioner of Boca, played.
In neither of the two games was he able to display his classic style of play and was practically eliminated without mitigating factors. In the first leg, played at the Monumental, he fell for a goal from Nacho Fernández. In the second leg, at the Mineirao, he was beaten 3-0 (a double by Argentine Matías Zaracho and one by Hulk).
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