River had an eventful preseason in the United States. Injuries dogged the squad Martin Demicheliswho after the first victory of the year over Pachuca, returned this Sunday to Buenos Aires, where this week they will do their last week of work, prior to the official debut against Argentinos Juniorsnext Sunday at 7:00 p.m. at the Monumental, for the Professional League Cup.
Aside from the favorable balance in terms of results, after having tied a match (against Rayados de Monterrey, 1-1) and a victory (1-0 against Pachuca), the tour of the United States, which included training in Bradenton and friendlies in Dallas, left some bad news for River.
The injury of Gonzalo Martinez, who tore the cruciate ligaments in his left knee, caused a great impact on the River Plate team. Not only because of what Pity represents on the court, but also outside, in the group, given his personality, which permanently transmits positive energy.
The man from Mendoza immediately left the camp on Sunday the 14th, after being injured in the training match against an MLS team. He went to Miami to reunite with his family and this Tuesday he will travel to Barcelona, where he will be operated on by Ramón Cugat, the prestigious Spanish doctor who already operated on him for the same injury in February of last year. Recovery will take the left-hander between seven and nine months.
But the injury problem didn’t stop there. Santiago Simón suffered a dislocation of the first metacarpal in his right hand in Wednesday’s friendly against Rayados de Monterrey, in which he played as a starter at right back. He will be out for two months.
In that meeting, Franco Armani He felt discomfort and left at halftime as a precaution. In any case, it was nothing and he was proven against Pachuca, a match in which the goalkeeper was the figure of River.
The friendly against the Mexican team in which he now plays Salomon Rondonformer River, also brought bad news. Manu Lanzini He suffered discomfort in his right hamstring, for which he had to leave at halftime and the kid Tobias Leiva He left the court crying due to a strong blow to one of his knees, as a result of a strike from a Pachuca player.
To all this, we must add that Ramiro Funes Mori He missed the match against Rayados because he had inflammation in one of his knees. But he recovered and was able to add minutes against Pachuca, entering the second half for Paulo Diaz.
The injuries, apart from losing key pieces, forced River to have to go on the market in positions in which it was already covered. The leaders confirmed that to replace Simón and Pity Martínez, this week They will go for a right back and a left winger. In addition, they are looking for a center forward after the refusals of Lucas Alario and Rafael Santos Borré to return.
In addition to the injuries, River also received other bad news at the beginning of the preseason, when Javier Mascherano called up Claudio Echeverri to join the squad of the Under 23 National Team for the Venezuela Pre-Olympic.
In the ‘millionaire’ delegation they planned to have ‘Diablito’ in the United States to work on him well for the start of the Professional League Cup and to give him more experience to start enjoying him in the last year of the youth in the club since later He will go to Manchester City, an institution to which he has already been transferred.
“I spoke with Javier (Mascherano) privately, we told each other what we had to say and we have talked and reached consensus in some way. That’s it, the reality is that Claudio had to be in the National Team. Did I dislike it? And… But not only Martín Demichelis has had to give up a player, the other clubs also lent players for the Pre-Olympic. In this case they called us a player who has experienced very strong emotions in recent months.”commented the coach about it.
In any case, there was also good news in River, in the United States. Demichelis begins to consolidate a formation, the 4-3-1-2, in which the team, apart from the lack of shooting, seemed to feel comfortable. Those that stood out the most were: Franco Armani in the arch; Matias Kranevitterwhich little by little is becoming the “5” that they repatriated; Esequiel Boat as hitch and Miguel Borjaalways valid with the goal.
And the great news was given by the kid Franco Mastantuono. At 16 years old, the hitchhiker entered the two formal friendlies and showed what he had been exhibiting in the Lower and Reserve Teams. Elegance, neatness, self-confidence, luxuries, character and personality. He has a very interesting left foot and is destined to be another jewel of the club..