07/20/2021 3:47 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 07/20/2021 3:47 PM
Lucas Pratto scored two of the most important goals in River's history, in the first leg against Boca in La Bombonera and in the second leg in Madrid, giving the
2018 Copa Libertadores
to Núñez's club. He joined Marcelo Gallardo's team in January of that year, from
San Pablo
, in exchange for 14 million dollars. And at the end of last year, with less prominence among the headlines and one of the highest contracts, he went on loan to
Feyenoord
in the Netherlands, where he suffered a severe injury from which he is recovering.
Back in Argentina, his departure from the Millionaire did not end up being what he and the fans dreamed of.
This Monday, the Bear was released, rescinded his contract and a day later put into words the bitter taste left by his departure from the institution, adding to his words the relationship he had with DT Marcelo Gallardo.
Lucas Pratto, with the Feyenoord jersey.
Photo: EFE / EPA / PIETER STAM DE JONGE.
"When I left River, the club hadn't paid me for a year and a half," Pratto began in an interview with
Líbero
on TyC Sports.
"Being in a club charging too much money did not serve the club or me. I never wanted to leave the River, everyone knows what it means to me, what I lived there and what I empowered my teammates. Not only sportingly , but humanly. I gave everything for the club, nobody can reproach me for anything, "clarified Pratto, to explain the reason for his departure to Dutch football, in the preview of the 2020 Libertadores crosses, when River fell to Palmeiras.
"They paid me half or a little less, it depends on the month ... But with River I always had a good relationship, we always talked about this, that's why we agreed on my departure to Feyenoord, because it was becoming increasingly difficult to pay me, and we made that decision together. Now we agreed and they paid me a large part of that debt, the reality is that the leaders made a great effort and things ended well, "explained the forward, who could continue his career in Vélez, Independiente or Atlético Mineiro, among others.
#River "THE BEST THING WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SEE ME IN ANOTHER WAY FROM THE PEOPLE"
Pratto thanked the fans for their affection and expressed his desire to return to the Millionaire.
@liberotyc pic.twitter.com/BuwCPm75xU
- TyC Sports (@TyCSports) July 20, 2021
Pratto also stressed that at the time he went to Feyenoord because he felt that Gallardo was not giving him minutes. "We had a game in the Libertadores where the aggregate was 8-2 and I had only played 4 minutes. When a team wins with such a goal difference and you are the third, fourth or fifth striker and you are so important to the structure, from what they tell you, everything is also a bit logical ... It is very easy to say that I left before a semi-final of Libertadores or a classic but for me it was a little mature that I had to leave ", highlighted the footballer .
Gallardo always clarified that Pratto was an important part of his team and considered him part of his team.
"Marcelo must have said it for something, I have nothing to say about him. He is a great coach and each one will have their perspective on my departure," said the scorer.
Lucas Pratto in one of his last games with the River shirt, for the 2020 Libertadores. Photo: EFE / Juan Ignacio Roncoroni.
"Soccer is like that ... We players are a production body,
when you stop producing you stop being taken into account
. The best thing was to go out, not having to burden a club that gave me so much. that I step on a court or without me training with the squad ... ", he commented in another section of the note with TyC Sports.
"I am calm because what I had to speak, I spoke. This was because of a decision that was not mine, they
did not want to communicate to my face
, they did not want to speak to me and that's it. When I had to make a decision, I made it I gave everything as a teammate and I was a benchmark of the squad with the youngest, just because I felt it and it did me good even when I wasn't playing, "the forward shared, referring to Gallardo.
"I didn't talk to him anymore ...", he replied later on how his relationship with DT was after his move to Feyenoord.
And he added: "Yes, I'm not saying it's right or wrong anyway. I would have liked him to tell me 'Lucas, you're not going to be taken into account' or another club, or the form, or stay for less money ... but no there was nothing, "Pratto explained, without wanting to get into polemics with the Doll.
And about the rumors of possible anger from his former teammates, the Bear replied that he continues to have an excellent relationship with most of them.
"If anyone got angry, they didn't tell me ... The day I said goodbye, everyone gave me a hug, I started to cry, they are things that do not come to light but that happened," closed Pratto.
Look also
Lucas Pratto goes free from River: the economic causes and the attitude that cooled his relationship with Gallardo
