From the D to the Libertadores: the story of the new reinforcement of San Lorenzo :: Olé

Pipi Romagnoli has its first reinforcement for the second half of the year. This is Matías Reali, a 26-year-old winger He has already passed the medical examination and in the next few hours he will sign the signature to officially be a new San Lorenzo player. El Ciclón will pay an amount close to 1,800,000 dollars to retain the player’s services.

Despite standing out as the figure and captain of an Independiente Rivadavia team that is starring in its first season in the First Division, Reali’s story travels to the depths of the Argentine Rise. Even long before being the sword-wielding leader of the Lepra team that was promoted at the end of 2023.

He emerged in Gimnasia de La Plata, but had steps Everton (LP), Cambaceres, Sports Circle (Commander Nicanor Otamendi), Zapla Blast Furnaces, Jujuy Gymnastics, and the aforementioned Mendoza group. His imbalance on the wing based on his dribbling and speed – in addition to his scoring quota – led him, in just three years, to go from playing in the Federal Tournament to the Copa Libertadores.

After being released from Lobo Platense, where he did not make his debut, Reali tried his luck at Everton (LP), a team that currently plays in the Promotional Amateur and at that time was playing in the Platense Amateur League. “Everton welcomed me at a very difficult moment in my career. It gave me back the desire to compete and train to the fullest again.“, he expressed at the end of 2020 in Pass to the League, after arranging his arrival at Círculo Deportivo.

But in the middle of both clubs, had its passage through Cambaceres. He was part of the team led by Jorge Casanueva that was seeking promotion in the First D in 2019. After the brief stay in Rojo and a false step at Club Atlético Ciclón of Bolivia – he shared the field with Patricio Toranzo -, sealed his arrival at the Comandante Nicanor Otamendi team on the return of football after the restrictions due to the pandemic.

There he began to display his ability that would end up making him climb the ranks: after 30 games and five goals in Círculo, and a good time at Altos Hornos Zapla, Gimnasia de Jujuy took advantage of its services to compete in the First National in 2022.

At Lobo Jujeño he continued to develop his weapons: he wore the shirt 29 times and scored three times during the season. But at the end of that year, Darío Franco dispensed with him and the club decided give it on loan to Independiente Rivadavia de Mendoza with a low call option.

In Leprosy he made history. Not only being one of the architects of that great Alfredo Berti team, but also being the total protagonist of the promotion to the highest category of Argentine football. He scored the goal for Deportivo Maipú that allowed them to play in the final against Almirante Brownin which he could not be present precisely because he was expelled against the Crusader.

Independiente Rivadavia made use of his purchase option at the end of 2023, and established himself as a figure and captain of the team this year. He wanted to be repatriated by Gimnasia (LP), he sounded in Racing and in Boca, but it was San Lorenzo that offered and kept his pass. A story worth telling.