One hour after River’s 2-0 win over Barracas Central, Marcelo Gallardo appeared in the press conference room at the Monumental and spoke to journalists. El Muñeco did not leave an issue untouched after a victory that put River four points behind the Gimnasia leader just prior to the superclásico against Boca.
THE MOST OUTSTANDING PHRASES OF GALLARDO
-How did you see the match? You like me?
-At times I liked it. The rival at times made us play uncomfortable, perhaps I would have liked to have a little more control, especially in the quality of passes, with our players in our generation of play. Have better passing quality. That cost us a bit. At the moment we played well, better in the second half where we could have defined the match or tried to have a greater difference. And after the expulsion it became a little more difficult for us because although Barracas did not have any clear arrival beyond a center back where a player does not end up hitting the ball well, then they were approximations as a result of the great effort we have been making in the last games and that we have not rotated much. But in the end we were also able to with Miguel’s goal that adds to his confidence and finish a victory that was fair due to what was done in the process of the match.
-You mentioned the need to find consistency or be a more reliable team. At what point do you think you are in relation to that and facing the classic?
– We’re a little better. Not in the way that we wanted but we have found ourselves in adding points at home which was what we had lost at some point, we began to add at home, away in the last two games both against Arsenal and Tigre we could not add as we would have Dear. We would have gotten a little closer. But I think everything is up for grabs. Everything is there so that we continue to have the expectation of being able to get closer and in these last ten remaining games everything will be at stake. I think Sunday’s game is going to be a key game according to the expectations that both teams have of turning on the fight there, but it’s not going to be defining. Yes, it will be a great incentive for that team that can impose itself to look at the end with better expectation.
-Where does Paulo perform better?
-We work, we try to give importance to all aspects of the game beyond the air. But hey, we’re going to think about the match this week to see how we can go to Boca’s court and try to impose our own. Paulo has no problems, he has played as a left and right marker, as a winger, there is a place where he feels more comfortable but he has no problem fulfilling different functions.
-How is Solari? What do you think of Villa’s absence, is it an advantage?
-No, I know the importance that Villa has for Boca, in recent times he has been a very important player but if we talk about advantage we have had many important players outside. Matías Suárez, who is our player or one of our best players, we had him out for a long time and we had to play a lot of time out. However we had to play without him for a long time. Each player for the team or his coach is very important. Boca has other players who can fulfill functions that may occur. I mean, give yourself the luxury of having an important player absent but there are other variants. They’ll figure it out, right? I have too much with ours, to think about preparing the best possible game and having the disposition of our team that some ended up injured like Pablo Solari, who ended up with a problem in the adductor. Let’s see what tomorrow’s medical results say. About Mammana too… I have to worry about ours. And according to that we are going to prepare the week to get to the classic well.
-How do the footballers who play the first Boca-River prepare?
-I believe that Franco is going to recover well. In these 48 hours he has evolved quite well and we believe that in the next few hours that will help him not to have problems getting there, we will still see how he responds. And after the week and the mental and psychological preparation that they are going to live a superclassic or an experience for the first time, nothing, tell them that there is always a first time for everything and it is a special event. It seems to me that from that place I accompany them during the week so that they feel as comfortable as possible and that they arrive without pressure. The match must be played on Sunday. That’s why the previous matches are always uncomfortable. Today’s game was uncomfortable because next weekend’s game is always on the mind, and no one wants to miss it, and that involves having to see how you also develop as a footballer thinking about that game. For us today’s game was more important than Sunday’s because if we didn’t win today we were going to be too far behind in the championship. And then from there the game on Sunday will be prepared in the best possible way.
-Did you like arbitration?
-I didn’t particularly like it. But with Argentine arbitration something is already happening and I don’t say it, I almost say it in football. Everyone complains and when that happens you have to pay attention. It is not a complaint of one… Everyone complains. In that we are all pretty even. There is no… That always happened. But now it seems to be more accentuated. We have to review some things that have to do with reviewing our football. That it does not become something ugly, something decadent. In itself we have a championship that is screwed up, difficult to understand and to play, and when all these things appear we have to try to see if we can maintain better football if we can all help as coaches, I join that, the players, the referees, the officials, the public. You guys. We all have to contribute something so as not to become a decadent circus, which is what one does not want.
