“We are living a dream. Until I saw him with the River shirt entering the court, it was not going to seem true to me. That my son is there fills me with satisfaction”.
Victor Daniel Solari He has already left his house, where he has a bakery, to go to the school where he works with Susana, his wife, director of the primary school in the town.
He is literally in a dream. River fan from the cradle, he can not believe what he is experiencing and so he tells Olé waiting to see El Pibe again with River’s #16 on court.
-How did the person who named his children Matías Jesús, Pablo César and Santiago manage to stay calm during the negotiation?
-It was difficult. When the news of his possible arrival in River was known, we called Pablo and he told us that it was not closed yet… So, as a family and through the governor of San Luis (Alberto Rodriguez Saá), who is a fan of River, we did movements to get to the leadership. We took advantage of the fact that the team was coming to Villa Mercedes to play with Barracas for the Argentine Cup…
-How was that?
–We wanted to chat a bit about how things were, because River looking for you is not something that happens every day. We really wanted Pablo to be able to wear that shirt. And luckily we had the opportunity to be with the leaders to ask them if our dream was going to come true.
-Did you directly confront Brito and Patanian to ask them about Pablo’s pass? It was like this?
–Yes, yes: they made contact with us and we were with the vice presidents, with the president and with Enzo. I confronted them and they told us that in a day or two everything would be solved because only details were missing. And then we went quietly back to Arizona…
-And how was it to meet Francescoli, one of your idols?
-Another dream! Another dream! One has admired him all his life: I was also a soccer player. He played as a 9 and Enzo was a benchmark. Even more so because of his way of being: without knowing him, one already realized what he was like. And that represented me.
Pablo’s debut in River, against Gimnasia in the Monumental. Dream come true for the whole family. Photo: Rafael Mario Quinteros – FTP CLARIN RMQ06354.JPG Z
Víctor and Susana live soccer with such passion that three of their children have names of soccer players: Matías Jesús, who specializes as a doctor in Buenos Aires, Santiago -plays in Gimnasia de Mendoza- and Pablo César. All by River Plate lineage. “The moment of the births coincided with the explosions of Almeyda, Aimar and Indiecito, the players who passed by, so we chose one and put it on”.
-Does any of your children have a football name?
-Yes: Mateo is called Gabriel for Batistuta, but because I liked Bati because, as I played as a 9 and he was a benchmark for the Argentine National Team. Mate It is the only one that was made for me on the other side, from Boca, by a neighbor…
-What would have been the final of the Libertadores 2018 in that house…
-Look, he was at home with me and he brought a colleague from Inferiores de Talleres who was from Boca… Pablo, his colleague, Mateo and I saw it in the final.
-¿Y?
-And there was one of screaming! It was a crazy thing. Because Pablo and I shouted the goals and the other two stayed quiet… These are moments that one spends with the family, but calm…
-Pablo is very fanatical?
-Not him, but the older one, yes: Santiago is unbearable! Now maybe since he plays football he is calmer, but before it was impossible to watch a game with Santi. Even I told him that he couldn’t be that fanatic… In that sense Pablo is calmer.
-And how did you see your debut?
-We went with the whole family to the Monumental, we were not going to miss it! He didn’t show, but he must have been anxious. Although despite that, he showed his courage: not many can wear the River shirt before 72,000 people in the Monumental, catch the ball and face it, not many can. I reckon your legs must be shaking.
Did he fulfill the dream for you?
-Yes. I always played here, in the amateur leagues and I couldn’t get to the First Division. I would have loved to play in River! Look. I remember that in 1986 they took me to San Lorenzo, but since I was like Pablito when it came to wonder, I didn’t have the courage to stay.. They were different times. And maybe I lacked a dad to support me and accompany me…
