05/16/2021 8:58 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 05/16/2021 9:01 PM
Alan Leonardo Díaz
will never forget this Sunday when, for the first time, he defended River's goal in Primera.
His debut with the 32 on his back took place in a Superclásico, in La Bombonera and in the middle of a coronavirus outbreak, for which Marcelo Gallardo's team suffered 15 casualties.
But none of this weighed on the 21-year-old, who ended up earning everyone's praise.
Among them, that of his great idol: "Pato" Fillol.
Minutes after the game ended, the former goalkeeper of the 1978 world champion Argentina team left an emotional message on social networks: he described Díaz as a "figure" and assured that he
"honored the history of the millionaire arc
.
"
"I am happy for the great performance that Leo Diaz had in his debut.
I know him as a kid and I know his sacred fire and his personality
. He is an archer who has a lot of projection," wrote Pato on his Twitter account.
I'm happy for the great performance Leo Diaz had on his debut.
I know him as a kid and I know his sacred fire and his personality.
He is an archer who has a lot of projection.
He was the figure of #Superclasico and with his saves he honored the history of the "millionaire" bow and his family.
pic.twitter.com/poqfPG7K5U
- Ubaldo Fillol (@ubaldofillol) May 16, 2021
The relationship between the two comes from years ago, even Diaz said in a note from 2015 that Fillol is his great idol and that working with him generated great emotion: "He gives me a lot of advice, I always talk to him," he declared that time .
Now the praise came from Pato to the boy whose life changed in the last hours.
"He was the figure of #Superclasico and with his saves he
honored the history of the 'millionaire' arc and his family,
" he added in his message.
Hours before the game, Fillol had wished "all the best for Leo Díaz in this important debut" and defined him as "a goalkeeper with a lot of rebellion and self-love".
All the best for Leo Díaz in this important debut in the First of @RiverPlate against Boca.
I know that it is something that I had dreamed of and today I am going to fulfill it in a complicated context.
He is an archer with a lot of rebellion and self-love who will leave everything so that things go well for him pic.twitter.com/4k4sxiuw2d
- Ubaldo Fillol (@ubaldofillol) May 16, 2021
Díaz had several key interventions during the game, especially a cover for Carlos Tevez at the end of the game that could have been Boca's second goal.
Alan Leonardo Díaz, saved a penalty to the Colombian Cardona in the definition that ended up winning Boca.
Photo: Marcelo Carroll
The 10 xeneize also praised him: "The archer
got two impressive balls from me
. I wanted to congratulate him because he deserves it. He had to stop in a situation that is not normal and he did it very well"
Category 2000, Díaz is 21 years old and is from Lanús.
He reached the goal of Primera with only 17 games as a substitute for the Reserve, without having been able to make his debut.
The most he had saved was in the Fourth Division.
With good technique and a lot of projection, Alan was called up for the U15 and U17 Youth Teams.
The data?
It measures 1.80 meters, somewhat less than Armani (1.89), Lux (1.85), Bologna (1.89) and Franco Petroli (1.87).
However, in this Sunday's game that he will never forget, he was up to the challenge.
And he got the most desired accolade: that of his great idol.
DD
Look also
River's 1x1 in the Covid Superclásico: from Díaz's unforgettable saves to Carrascal and Fontana's lazy night
Boca eliminated River: Carlitos Tevez praised the kid Díaz, thanked the doctors and clarified what happened to Maidana in the goal play
