2024-04-13 03:01:00
River is establishing itself in the race for the objectives of 2024. It won its second match in the Copa Libertadores, leads group H with a perfect score and its fans are beginning to dream. Martín Demichelis’ team won against Nacional of Uruguay by 2-0 and aspires to maintain the top of the table to ensure that the definitions ahead can be played at the Monumental. In the League Cup, he also does the same. The victory against Rosario Central brought respite and for now he puts away the calculator. In the dispute for the top, behind Barracas Central and Argentinos Juniors, the last match is against Instituto in Córdoba and qualification for the playoffs depends on itself.
The numbers of the team led by Demichelis continue to be strong, but the rift between those who look askance at him and those who accompany him has not yet closed. Despite carrying the River Plate “gene” and having won three titles (Professional Football League 2023, Champions Trophy 2023 and the Argentine Super Cup 2024) in just over a year at the helm of the Millonario, the quorum is still not absolute. The hypotheses that are proposed for this lack of generalized support are several: tactical decisions, players chosen for the starting eleven, placements of footballers outside their natural positions, changing formation match by match.
The truth is that, faced with the panorama of uncertainty brought about by the fans’ statements on social networks and in the same stands (in front of Central, at the end of the first half, there were whistles), what is in contrast are the results. So far this year, his team has played 17 games, including the 32nd round of the Argentine Cup against Excursionistas, which they won 3 to 0, and only suffered two defeats. His power is undoubted and he gets stronger when he plays at home. So far in the “Micho” cycle, the Millionaire has played 32 games at home and won 26. The data only confirms a clear effectiveness, and reveals the protagonism of those 85 thousand souls that accompany River every time they play. presents in his stadium.
“The first one at home, in a packed stadium, I don’t want to be tiresome, but I thank the people because today there was no bus to come and they filled the stadium,” the coach conveyed at a press conference in reference to the transportation strike and in a clear show of gratitude to the people who once again filled the Monumental. “The enthusiasm of the people is already felt because it is full at the Monumental. We know the responsibility we have this year in the Cup. We started well, but the road is hard and long in the Libertadores,” he also highlighted.
This victory against the Uruguayan team keeps them in the race to qualify for the 2025 Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States, from June 15 to July 13. El Millonario seeks to be part of the 32 teams that will play in this first edition. To reach the goal, Núñez’s team must add points in the Conmebol ranking, where they currently lead the table with 73 units, followed by Boca (71p), Olimpia (57p), Nacional (46p), Independiente del Valle (45p), Cerro Porteño (43p) and Barcelona (42p). Of the six places available for the South Americans, three are occupied by Brazilian teams: Palmeiras, Flamengo and Fluminense (for having been the champions of the last editions of the Libertadores).
“I am very happy that we continue adding based on certain objectives, but I do not look much further than Instituto, which is the next big objective we have. For me, the Club World Cup is very far away in time,” he defended himself when asked about his aspiration to be part of this competition. The Millionaire coach does not get ahead of himself. The concentration that he tries to convey is staggered, without entering into the race to success that is proposed on the television channels, which sometimes tend to describe him as “Pep” Guardiola and other times, to consider him a coach in training.
River waits for Instituto, that is the next objective. A match that represents a difficult stop for Núñez’s team, especially considering that it will not be at the Monumental, where the team is especially forceful. But with a view to new challenges, added to the series of victories, the team shows vigor and confidence in the face of what is to come and little by little the structure of the eleven is built on proper names that perhaps can be canonized at the end of the season. Armani, absolute owner of the goal, Paulo Díaz, leader of the defense, the two Rodrigos in the middle of the field: Aliendro and Villagra, Diablito Echeverri as the key to surprise, the game and the dribble, and Miguel Borja, scorer of the local tournament, as an interpreter of the artillery blues.