“Come, come, sing with me, that you will find a friend, that by the hand… La Michoneta, we are all going to turn around…”
The Angel Labruna locker room was a party on Sunday night after River’s victory over Boca in the Superclásico. And in the midst of so much revelry, there was a little song that did not go unnoticed. That song that refers to Led by Martín Demichelis, Núñez’s team is heading towards the Olympic return in the Professional League.
The image (it was seen through an Instagram live from Esequiel Barco’s account) shows much more than guys jumping and celebrating a victory against the eternal rival. A group communion is exhibited. And a Demichelis (who jumped, sang and hugged the footballers) immersed in the group of players. In tune with them.
“I went in to greet them and they pushed me to end up in the ring. I appreciate the respect and accommodation of the leaders, Enzo Pérez, Armani and Milton Casco”, the coach told La Red about this situation.
It is not a minor sample. This is an important release after a difficult week, after the win received by Fluminense in the Copa Libertadores. And that, although behind the scenes things were always clear, and they felt that there was by no means a four-goal difference with the Brazilian team, as Enzo Pérez scored, they were also aware of the atmosphere of pressure that originated right in the run-up to a Superclásico.
And before Boca a better version of River was seen again. That without being overwhelming and forceful as in other parties, equally he was superior to his rival and always showed the desire to win the match. Not only to recover from the blow in Brazil, but also to give his people a victory in his house and continue firmly towards the goal of winning the title.
The thing is River sweeps the League. And although there are still 12 dates to go, it would be a catastrophe if the championship were to slip away. It takes advantage of the rest. Not only in numbers, being the leader with 37 points, and 26 goals for and just 6 against. Also in the game. On the other hand, in the Copa Libertadores, for now, he suffers. In fact, it is the team that converted the most, since he received 10 goals in 3 games. So, which is the real River?
For Demichelis, it’s the same. And he bases it on his proposal. “We came from a very hard blow. And what we didn’t have to do was lose form, line, conduct, because in Brazil until the expulsion of Leandro (González Pirez) we had had a great first half. On that side, he wanted to focus the players so that they didn’t lose the sensation of all the good things that had been done. After the expulsion we defended badly, but because of the spirit we have. We already learned and surely we will continue to fight in the Cup. I have no doubts, “said the River coach.
And he added: “During the week I’m going to make a lot of mistakes, the first day I told the players… I’m not proud of that, but I’d rather make a mistake trying to go for a draw and win than make a mistake for being petty.”
When talking about learning, the coach thinks that in the Cup he will have to make some adjustments to straighten the course and find a path similar to that of the League, where at some point he also had to suffer, after the two defeats he suffered in February against Belgrano and Arsenal. And he put Rodrigo Aliendro on the team to help Enzo Pérez and put together the team of midfielders.
Now, in the Cup, perhaps the adjustment could come from the strategic and choose the moments in which the sustained attack or the blow by blow is convenient and in which to protect oneself a little more, especially so as not to expose the defense and thus become more strong from the middle to the back.
On the other hand, the psychic strengthening was already given by the victory over Boca. It is that the classics mark. It has already happened several times during Marcelo Gallardo’s cycle, where more than once River came to the duel with the eternal rival with some turbulence and after beating him he came out empowered.
The victory on Sunday, then, may mean a click for River to also find its way in the Cup. It is that, although the Superclásico was for the League, if River continues comfortable in the domestic contest, it will be able to afford to put its head in the Libertadores much more in the three games that remain to finish the group stage.
In short, it is about analyzing the moments and overcoming the obstacles that may arise, as Demichelis did last week after the defeat against Fluminense. Also, to monitor the processes of the soccer players. “River is a family that does not stop growing from the human side,” said the Millionaire coach. And he is already part of this River Plate family. They even dedicated a song to him.
2023-05-08 20:33:12
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