River You can divide this first part of the year into two. In the first section it was a foreseeable team with a safe defense. Little goal, many draws, inconsequence without emotions. In recent weeks, it was transformed. It is another. He wins, attacks with fury and gets naked behind. It is a dangerous team. when it progresses and … when it goes back.
In Guayaquil that movie was seen: It was imposed by 3 to 2 on Barcelona and is the leader of Group B of the Copa Libertadores. And he is a candidate. It is also at the local level. Driussi (five goals in five games), Colidio and Mastantuono They represent a magical triangle. There are good societies, obviously the glass is half full. But attention: back is a weak team, easy to tear down. Just blowing it.
The millionaire team of existential doubts to superlative trust passed. What tries, comes out. The marker’s opening was almost without proposing it: Paulo Díaz, Martínez Quarta, ball, Driussi lowers the ball and defines with class, crossed, unattainable.
The millionaire team won from 7 minutes, with the renewed lucidity of Nacho Fernández, one of the “forgotten” heroes of Madrid. In an open development, with defensive licenses, River could reach the second and Barcelona, the draw.
The Ecuadorian team achieved, with a demolishing header of Octavio Rivero1.84m giant. After a while, another head impact, this time from Colidio, collided with the crossbar, in a development more similar to a match of the modern Champions League than to the old duels of Libertadores, rustic and combative. It was a free showwith limited marks and sharp attacks.
The front blond had his quick mischieve: another goal, control and cross definition. The goalkeeper José Contrerasof imperial performance in the 0-0 in Núñez (he included a penalty that contained Driussi), he was already injured: after a while, he left his place to Ignacio de Arruabarrena, Uruguayan as well as the scorer.
The first section of the second half was a festival. First, Borja, who had entered Driussi, fought a ball in the left sector, threw himself with soul and life, threw the center and Mastanton sealed the third. In the following action, similar, but for the right sector of the local attack, Martinez Fourth converted the discount against.
The last 20 minutes, indecipherable, with the tonic that anything could happen, River sustained them with five defenders, with the entrance of Pezzella by Pérez. Montiel, Martínez Quarta, Pezzella, Díaz and Acuña It was the resistance against a physical adversary, which proposed cross centers and balls.
The millionaire reconstruction was supported by acceptable actions, very good results and, above all, The impulse of convictions. The successful string, suddenly, transformed what was an irregular path, between existential draws and confusion. Until an afternoon was presented in the forest.
A triumph by 3 to 0 over gymnastics, the impossible 2-2 with Independiente del Valle (at the height of Quito, after being 0-2 and to the edge of the collapse), the classic of the 2-1, with the seal of the free kick of Franco Mastantuono and the win over Guillermo Barros Schelotto Vélez 4-1, under the flood. An energy injection.
Millionaire optimism should not dizzy. In all matches, in a certain passage, it had a very bad time. There are revealing data: two shots in the sticks arranged gymnastics, Independiente del Valle and Vélez. And Armani drowned the shout twice in continuing to Boca at the closing of the superclassic. The last line continues to offer doubts, beyond the names. It happened again in Guayaquil: He had many doubts back.
The new River stage, full of trust, is divided between the Copa Libertadores (the important), the Opening tournament (the urgent) and the Club World Cup (the illusion). The international tournament finds him in a comfortable, expectant position, with the certainty that he depends on himself and in front of uncomfortable rivals, although of less hierarchy than the Argentine giant.
In the professional league, Central tents It will be his next adversary, in the round of 16. The hand in hand are not usually the strong historical of River, beyond the imprint of Gallardo and the monumental mystique. A bad night (not only against the disciplined team he directs The Insua Galician) You can leave it outside or derive it to the penalties, a stigma that is maintained.
The Club World Cup is a pride. Participation, in the first extent. The rivals are Inter, potential champion of the Champions LeagueMonterrey led by Martín Demichelis and a club in Japan. It is not an impossible mission to move on to the next instance, of course.
In the meantime, he wins, wins and wins. It has a goal and suffers behind, a different version of the first weeks of 2025.
