02/11/2024 20:50hs. Updated on 11/02/2024 9:57 p.m.
“We must recognize that the ones who didn’t leave us alone were the fans. They have behaved in a wonderful way, both on Monday, Tuesday and this Saturday. I have to value, recognize and honor them. It is not normal to be hit hard in a tournament in which you have great expectations and people support you en masse. They have been present: as they sang, in good times and in bad times much more. It is a time to bench and the fan bench standing, that must be recognized.”
Four days after coming clean in that same chair and saying that his River had been “indebted to the fan”at the beginning of the weekend Marcelo Gallardo He dedicated a special part of his conference to evaluating those who once again filled the available stands of the Monumental (the upper Centenario was closed). To those who, beyond a few whistles at Borja and Fonseca in the presentation (“There were some who got off the hook…”), they encouraged non-stop after the disappointment of the elimination in the Libertadores.
Elimination in the semis which, by the way, made some fans begin to rethink the ending of some players. Something that the Doll did not avoid in a forceful way, but left for the end of the season: “I don’t think it’s appropriate to talk about the end of the cycle when there are seven games left and many points left to score. Then we’ll see, we have to start looking at the various possibilities to start thinking about next year, but we can’t stop being focused,” he said.
Evaluating a victory against Banfield whose value “It was precisely to be present because it meant a lot after the elimination” and because “we had to turn the page”, Gallardo began to get excited about a tournament that he does not intend to give up beyond the nine points difference with the leader Vélez: “If we start adding victories, in an Argentine championship in which nothing is resolved and those at the top have already started to lose points…”left the topic open.
For now, his River will have another stop on Wednesday to continue being at the level of the fans he highlighted. And although he was far from confirming an 11, he made it clear that “If a player grabs the post, I can’t get him out”precisely at a time when very few have that place on the team earned…
All statements by Marcelo Gallardo
On the importance of winning after elimination vs. Mineiro: “Beyond the need for victory, it was precisely to be present in a match that meant a lot after the elimination. We had to turn the page and see how we responded today to get back on track. That was the search. There were some modifications that In terms of our game, they were good. There were good things that were seen in the first half, perhaps without endings. The goal gave us respite, because when you don’t score goals, the backpack gets heavier and heavier. It clearly gave air. And we started the second half with a great goal from Pablo. Afterwards the game went into a slump of many cuts and problems with the VAR, it ended up blurring, we were there until the end with Borja’s goal, which scored him. “It helps to find the goal. It was important to be present with our people.”
On Borja’s performance and his income from the bank: “It was a decision like one that sometimes has to be made. Beyond being an important footballer and a goalscorer, I needed to look for other alternatives, that’s what I decided to search for a better performance and revitalize ourselves again. Even for him it did It’s good to get out of the spotlight, clearly a player of his rank when he’s not scoring… Sometimes you have to get out, he did well, he came in and scored the goal, something very rare but it happens. He had a few minutes and scored a goal. goal. Football is like that, it has these things, that’s why there are times when you have to have certain moments of tranquility and serenity to make decisions and for the players to take them as natural things, not as a punishment. A dynamic had to be changed, we will continue. doing so when he sees that the team needs a change.
Borja returned to the goal against Banfield (Marcelo Carroll).About the central midfielder position: “It has to do with performances more than anything and emotional states, it’s about that. If I have a player who comes with good performances and emotionally feels good, I don’t take him out. It’s the performances that tell you if a player is here to stay.” or leave. Based on that, some I bet on giving them more time because I believe and trust that they can have the ability to express their best football ability and others that don’t, that’s what coaches are for. In this case, we came with some problems. of individual pressures that made us change. But if a player grabs the baton, I can’t take him out, in any position I always say that the player puts himself in and takes out himself, that is based on performances, we are in River, there is competition. internally and a prestige to defend. That’s why, when I start a season, I say that no one has a purchased shirt. Whoever I believe can give a better alternative to the team’s functioning is going to play.”
Pity Martínez’s first games since his return: “He is a player who hasn’t played in a year, you have to imagine how eager he is, it’s normal that he wants to be there. He missed beautiful games, when it’s your turn you want to take advantage of it. Apart from his personality, his self-confidence, being A guy loved and identified by people, he is at a point in his career in which he is much more mature, I consider him a player who can always be contagious and, beyond making mistakes, he insists. back on the field and he’s gaining more minutes. It’s normal that he adds little by little.”
Juanfer Quintero and his present in Racing: “His daughter didn’t call me grandfather, she didn’t tell me personally, it must have been in private, ha. I haven’t had that crossing with her, if I hadn’t told her that guy maybe, ha. My relationship with him is known, he has expressed it, I always had a lot of affection and respect for him, beyond my demands on him. He knows he had to put up with me being demanded. His validity makes me very happy, I love him, he is a footballer that I like to watch, he gives me joy, he awakens emotion in me… I like those players, even though he wears another shirt, I love him very much and he is from the River Plate family. “You never know what can happen.”
Pezzella’s absence: “In training on Friday he felt a load on his calf and we didn’t want to risk it, it didn’t get any worse. It’s premature to talk about Wednesday’s team, it’s very difficult to have a precision. We’ll see how the players recover: Pezzella was going to play and we had we have to rule it out, that’s why we can never give details. We had a match with a lot of effort and we are going to face a physically tough opponent, like all those in Argentine football, who will fight the game from start to finish.”
About the fight for the championship and qualification for the Cups: “We have to focus on these seven dates, we have to get the most points, that is the focus in the short term. Then we will see, we have to start looking at the various possibilities to start thinking about next year, but “We cannot stop being focused on these seven games. If we start to add victories, in an Argentine championship in which nothing is resolved and those at the top have already started to lose points…”.
No end of cycle: “It doesn’t seem to me to talk about the end of the cycle when there are seven games left and a lot of points to get, it’s not appropriate. Maybe in journalistic opinion it generates noise, it always happened, but it can’t distort us. We have to accompany this team and I’m going to do it , then we will do evaluations.”
The support of the fans: “People have behaved in a wonderful way, both on Monday and Tuesday and today. We must recognize that they were the ones who did not leave us alone, I have to value, recognize and honor them, it is not normal that you have so much expectation and they hit you hard and the people accompany you en masse. They have been present, as they sang, in the good times and the bad times much more. It is a time to bench and the fan stands up for the bench, and that must be recognized. “.
About the International Super Cup: “Until now we have not had anything official, nor any approaches. I know that this possible match was announced in recent days, but it depends on the dates, there is not much space, we will see how we can try to consider playing that match. Then we will see how it can be incorporated” .
