Buenos Aires, Argentina – Former River Plate midfielder Ignacio “Nacho” Fernández has shed light on the internal conflicts that reportedly contributed to the departure of manager Martín Demichelis. Speaking on the radio program Un Buen Momento, Fernández detailed a breakdown in communication stemming from a leaked “off the record” conversation with journalists, while still acknowledging Demichelis’s tactical acumen. The revelations approach as River Plate navigates a period of transition following Demichelis’s exit and as the Argentine Liga Profesional season gets underway.
Fernández, currently playing for Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, emphasized a positive working relationship with Demichelis during the manager’s year and a half tenure. “The truth is that I had a quality relationship with Martín,” he said. “In the year and a half that he was here, he was a coach who taught me a lot. I learned a lot, especially about positioning, how he worked before matches, how we wanted to press our opponents, how we wanted to build from the back, how he positioned the fullbacks, what he told the fullbacks, the concepts he told the fullbacks and center backs.” He specifically praised Demichelis’s attention to detail and tactical preparation, stating, “I, who like tactics and strategy, found him to be a coach who gave me a lot of that. He and his technical staff tried to be on top of every detail.”
Despite these compliments regarding Demichelis’s professional capabilities, Fernández pinpointed a critical turning point in the manager’s handling of the team dynamic. “Afterward, things got confused on a human level. I don’t have too much to say to him. He mismanaged the group, that is, from a human perspective,” Fernández asserted. He explained that the issue arose from Demichelis’s failure to address the situation promptly with the squad after a private conversation with reporters was divulged. “I think he got confused and let too much time pass to talk about it with the team. Then, the players started to look at him differently. And I think that’s what happened to him.”
The fallout from this incident, often referred to as the “off” incident, significantly impacted the team’s atmosphere, according to Fernández. He recalled a particularly difficult period following River Plate’s elimination from the 2023 Copa Libertadores against Internacional de Porto Alegre. “If we’re being honest, I think the last time River played well was in the first six or seven months under him, when we had a tough loss,” Fernández remarked. He described the Libertadores defeat as a major blow to the team’s morale. “We had a tough match against Internacional de Porto Alegre, and that’s where all these problems started.”
Fernández elaborated on the emotional impact of the loss, stating, “I say ‘tough’ because I think, at the Monumental, we deserved to win by a much larger margin. We deserved to win by a much larger margin. And then, in Brazil, it was an even match that we started poorly and, well, it slipped away from us on penalties, in a very long shootout. So, that’s why I say, we were playing very well, and it was a hard blow for us to be eliminated from that cup.” The defeat, he suggested, eroded confidence in Demichelis’s leadership.
Adding another layer to the situation, Fernández noted that Demichelis faced the challenge of succeeding Marcelo Gallardo, widely considered the most successful manager in River Plate’s history. “A lot has been pinned on Martín too. It’s difficult to sit on the bench at River for your first experience. And maybe he didn’t know how to handle some things that Marcelo handled very well. And he also had to deal with that. The greatest coach in River’s history left, and he had to fill that position,” Fernández analyzed. He acknowledged Demichelis’s preparation but suggested he may have develop into overwhelmed at times. “While I think he’s a very prepared person, maybe at some point he felt overwhelmed by the situation and made mistakes, as everyone can, and didn’t know how to resolve them.”
Despite the challenges, Fernández underscored the valuable lessons he learned during Demichelis’s tenure. “But afterward, as a coach, or rather, as a soccer player, he left me with a lot of things, and I think there’s nothing wrong with saying that,” he concluded.
His Departure from River Plate:
Fernández also touched upon his own departure from River Plate and return to Gimnasia. He stated he felt physically prepared to return to the club, wanting to contribute positively to his boyhood team. He acknowledged that a potential one-year extension with River wasn’t offered, and he felt it was the right time to move back to Gimnasia. He emphasized that there was no animosity towards the club or its leadership, understanding that the decision not to renew his contract was a natural part of the cycle.
Fernández revealed that Marcelo Gallardo personally contacted him to communicate his plans, offering a respectful farewell. He described the conversation as a simple expression of gratitude and well wishes, recognizing that the finish of his time at River was approaching. He expressed immense gratitude to the River Plate fans and the entire organization for the memories and experiences shared.
Nacho Fernández will face his former club when Gimnasia visits River Plate on Wednesday. The match provides a tangible reminder of the shifting dynamics within Argentine football and the lingering impact of Demichelis’s time at the club.
River Plate will continue their Liga Profesional campaign this weekend, seeking to build momentum after a period of internal adjustment. The team’s performance will be closely watched as they aim to reclaim their position as a dominant force in Argentine football.
