Maximiliano Benozzi
02/25/2020 - 18:49
- Clarín.com
- sports
On June 26, 1996, the Monumental exploded. River fans put heat and color on that cold winter Wednesday night. And for posterity it was the best reception for a team in Argentine football.
The final round of the Copa Libertadores was played and the team led by Ramón Díaz had to recover from 0-1 of the first leg in Colombia against América de Cali to give the second conquest of the continent to the Núñez club. And he did it with two goals from a young man (he was about to turn 21) Hernán Crespo, one in each time.
It was the last encounter of the Florida-born forward with the red band, since he was later transferred to the Parma of Italy. In the middle, he returned to play with the National Team. And now he will return to the Monumental to sit in the visiting substitute bank as a Defense and Justice technician. And with the particularity of being a judge in the tournament that River and Boca are defining hand in hand.
How will Crespo be received by the fans? Will the memory of those goals and that continental joy weigh more heavily? Or will the anger that generated in several supporters who have not returned to play in River before retiring sneak into the middle?
Hernán Crespo now lives the matches outside the court Photo: José Almeida
It is that Crespo flirted with that possibility a decade ago, just at the worst moment in millionaire history. Many discounted that this round would take place, especially because of the close relationship between Valdanito (they dubbed it in the beginning because of its similarities to the game of Jorge Valdano, world champion in 1986) and Daniel Passarella, who was president of River between the end of 2009 and 2013. A link that was broken at the time.
“ Not returning to River is part of the pain I have. When I wanted to, I was not allowed to. I wanted to finish my career there. I met Daniel (Passarella) and what he didn't want to happen happened. He asked me for $ 300,000 for the trust, ”the Defense and Justice coach said a while ago in several interviews.
Before landing as coach in Argentine football, he again had an indirect proximity to the Núñez club. In the last elections he supported the opposition candidate Antonio Caselli.
Hernán Crespo and Marcelo Gallardo, former colleagues in River, greeted each other affectionately in the 1-1 pre-match between Banfield and the Núñez team in February last year.
Facing River will not be new to Crespo. In February of last year he did it with Banfield at the Florencio Sola stadium. The match ended 1 to 1 and there was a controversy over a power outage, since Marcelo Gallardo, his former teammate in River and in the National Team, accused him of sending him to cause it because a Banfield player had to go to the bathroom. “I know him and what he said was to take advantage. He's a great trick player, ”Crespo threw. On Saturday they will meet again.
"There will be time to think about River," was the only thing he said on that Crespo party after the victory of Defense and Justice over Rosario Central. From former scorer he quickly became a gambeteador.
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