devotion for Montiel, love for Enzo and the fans’ request for Marcelo Gallardo

It is not the Santiago Bernabéu or the Camp Nou. Neither the Etihad or Anfield. Neither the Olympic or the San Siro. It is not Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Manchester, Liverpool, Rome or Milan. It’s not Europe. It’s Argentina, it’s Buenos Aires. It is the Monumental. It’s River.

The Euro-River that he thought, imagined and designed Marcelo Gallardo to face a 2025 with many challenges, who will have their sights set on going again for that blessed obsession called Copa Libertadores and in doing a good role in the Club World Cup In the middle of the year in the United States, he had his presentation in Núñez in a friendly against the national team of Mexicoa few days after the official debut.

It was a deserved and comfortable 2-0 victory against a B team from the Aztecs, led by the historic Javier Aguirre, the Basque. El Millo quickly took the lead with a bomb from Giuliano Galoppo, and then Miguel Borja appeared with another shot to remind us that River already had a great team before “the new ones” arrived.

River’s first half showed the old mark of Marcelo Gallardo, with possession, pressure and arrival throughout the entire attack front. As the minutes passed, the hustle and bustle of the preseason began to be seen, the players regularized their efforts ahead of their debut in the Apertira tournament on Saturday against Platense in Vicente López, and what could have been a win ended up being a training session.

Before, during and after the ninety minutes against Mexico, River’s people had a party. But the best postcards of this first time of the year at the Monumental were in the presentation of the seven reinforcements, with Gallardo and Brito at the helm.

The Doll set the bar very high, true to his style and as corresponds to the historical demand of the red band. Jorge Britothe president of the club, accompanied him, opened the treasury and seven reinforcements arrived so far, most of them first level, for which More than 20 million dollars were disbursed. And they had a stellar presentation, pure cinemaas they say on social networks.

To the europeanor NBA style, there was a presenter on the playing field who named the reinforcements one by one, before they appeared on scene, while a video with images for each of them was played on the stadium screen. And as they came out, sparkling sparklers were lit at their sides, before stopping on the stage.

The first to come out and receive a standing ovation – the biggest – was Enzo Perez. It was almost eight at night, although the sun had not yet gone down, and the Monumental already had more than half of its capacity occupied (later it was filled with 85 thousand people as usual). The man from Mendoza raised his arms and greeted those fans who feel River the same way he does and carry him in their skin. Repatriated by Gallardo, he once again felt full and happy after his exile in Estudiantes, after the conflict with Martín Demichelis.

After Pérez, he left Gonzalo Tapiathe Chilean forward who left the Catholic University and is still a mystery but who has already shown some interesting things. followed him Giuliano Gallopwho came from San Pablo and would later open the scoring of the game with a great goal. Next it was the Paraguayan’s turn Matias Rojasthe former Racing player who comes from throwing walls with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.

And the last apparitions were for three children of the house. came out Lucas Martínez Quartafirm and applauding like another fan to return to play in the River Plate defense after his time at Fiorentina. After, Sebastian Driussiwho came back after almost 8 years, after his steps in Russian soccer and the United States MLS. And finally, with your right arm raised, Gonzalo Montielthe guy who with his penalty sealed the third World Cup for Argentina in Qatar 2022.

All of them were applauded, and much more so Cachete, the world champion who also left Europe after passing through Seville and Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, his mother Marisawept with pure emotion in the Belgrano audience, along with his entire family. “There are many sensations. Here were his first steps, this is the club that we all love. I’m very happy because people love it. Their happiness is ours,” said the mother of the boy from the most celebrated prison in the country as she passed by, before going to his location.

With the arrival of Montiel, River can boast of being, along with Atlético Madrid, the team with the most current world champions on the planet. The right back joined Franco Armani, Germán Pezzella and Marcos Acuña. Gallardo put together his own team. And it’s literal. Of the eleven that went out to play against Mexico, only Galoppo and Facundo Colidio did not make up a Senior team, although the former Tigre was in the youth team.

The fans exploded when they saw the maker of this team leave. Gallardo, accompanied by Brito, climbed the stairs of the tunnel towards the playing field to join the presented footballers and take the final photo, with the legend “River 2025”. There were no words to the crowd. But also from the four sides the song thundered for the leader. “Muñeeeecooo, Muñeeeecooo”, they shouted loudly.. The same thing happened when the voice of the stadium closed the team formation and mentioned the River coach. And also when the team took the field, surrounded by red and white smoke. Before, the world champions plus Enzo Pérez, Martínez Quarta and Driussi also received standing ovations.

The Doll quickly went into the locker room with the players, who had to prepare to go out to warm up. The coach took the game very seriously. It was the last rehearsal before the official debut, on Saturday against Platense in Vicente López. On the field, his players responded the same.

And in the stands, there was also an official match atmosphere. They gave encouragement to their own soccer players, whistles to the Mexicans at the time of the anthems (for the Aztecs’ back-and-forth with Messi?) and the shout of “give him champion, give him champion,” in clear allusion to the third star. of the Selection. And they did not forget our everyday football, of course, with a song that is already a classic: “I want the Libertadores”…

River has something to do with it. He put together a team to try to conquer America once again.