Maximiliano benozzi
08/17/2021 5:56 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 08/17/2021 5:56 PM
All or nothing. This is how River went to Brazil to play the second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals against Atlético Mineiro. From 9:30 p.m., at the Mineirao in Belo Horizonte, Marcelo Gallardo's team will put into play the great goal of the year, continuity in the most important tournament on the continent. He starts at a disadvantage due to
the 0-1 in the first leg at the Monumental
and because the footballing level of the last games takes away his hope. However, the presence of the
Doll
in the substitute bench and the aura in this type of definition mean that the series is not yet closed.
“It will depend on what we force ourselves as a team to have the possibility of passing this phase.
And to have the chance, if we are well, to take it and pass this difficult phase, against a very good rival, who a priori is winning 1-0
but the series is not defined, it is still open ", expressed with enthusiasm Gallardo after the victory against Vélez at the Monumental for the local tournament, a match that allowed his team to cut a four-game winless streak.
“The first game (with Mineiro) we lost 1-0, playing a good first half and a bad second half.
That gives us the possibility of having to play a very good game against a very good rival ...
We will try to be effective in the possibilities and sustain
ourselves
with good performances
to try to pass the series ", analyzed the River coach, giving the guideline of what his team - of which he was very critical - has to do to aspire to reach the semifinals of the Cup.
River players after the defeat at the Monumental.
(AP)
Effectiveness is key
There were several games in which Gallardo's team, during this year, generated many goal situations and achieved little. Without going that far, in those four games in which he did not get victories (1-1 with Huracán; 0-0 with Boca and loss on penalties; 1-2 with Godoy Cruz and 0-1 with Atlético Mineiro),
River kicked 48 times, but 16 shots were on target, that is a third
. And of those 16 successful shots at three posts, only two were converted into goals.
River came from being forceful with Argentinos, whom they beat 2-0 in the rematch of the Libertadores round of 16 at La Paternal, and with Unión and Lanús, whom they beat 4-0 and 3-0, respectively, for the domestic contest.
Just on Saturday with Vélez he recovered some of the effectiveness that Gallardo asks for, since of five shots on goal (one from a penalty), he scored two.
To be effective and forceful
River will have to be focused and concentrated
.
Not only when he steps into the rival area, but also to abort Mineiro's attempts towards the goal defended by Franco Armani.
For this, there must be a good deployment of the midfield, either to press and recover and thus not leave the defenders exposed.
Braian Romero returned to the goal against Velez.
(AFP)
The scheme
In the previous one, it was speculated with the possibility that Gallardo will give rise to the line of five defenders again,
but Robert Rojas recently recovered from a pubalgia and is almost without rhythm
, while it cost Jonatan Maidana a lot the games he played for the local tournament.
The line of four, however, is gradually taking hold, now with Milton Casco as right back, after the departure of Gonzalo Montiel.
On the other hand, in the midfield is where the team suffers the most from functioning.
And to top it all, it will not have its axis.
Enzo Pérez accumulated three yellows and will not be able to play.
His replacement would be Enzo Fernández.
And Nicolás De La Cruz arrives with a muscular discomfort that has dragged on since last week in the left calf.
Another issue to be clarified during the 90 minutes in Belo Horizonte is who loses the most: if River without Enzo Pérez or Atlético Mineiro without
Nacho Fernández
(Conmebol rejected the Brazilian club's request that the red be removed), expelled in the gone for a shot at Fabrizio Angileri.
In short, River, who arrived in Belo Horizonte last night and settled in the Ouro Minas hotel, the same one where he stayed in 2015 and 2019, must play a practically perfect match to get into the semifinals against one of the title candidates.
Like other times in Brazil, where Gallardo's team showed the courage to stand, win and reverse the series.
Now, he is at a disadvantage again.
And in religious terms it is said that faith is the last thing to be lost.
Of course, River will have to help her with a lot of football first.
The background of definitions in Brazil
Of the four times that River had to go to Brazil to define a classification in the Gallardo era for the Copa Libertadores, three times it achieved the objective and only in one was it left out.
That only elimination was in the Cup of the last edition, when the 2-0 against Palmeiras (to whom he scored a third goal, but was annulled through the VAR by a millimeter ahead of Rafael Borré) did not reach him since in the first leg had lost 3-0.
Previously, River had achieved three classifications, one against Gremio, whom they beat 2-1 in the 2018 semifinals, after losing 1-0 in the first leg and the other two against Cruzeiro, whom they beat in the round of 16 of the 2019 edition, after defeating him on penalties after equaling 0-0 in both games and in the quarterfinals of 2015,
when he beat him 3-0 after losing 1-0 in the first leg
.
That same result is the one that has to reverse now against Atlético Mineiro, in the same scenario, Mineirao de Belo Horizonte.
The Mineirao with Mineiro fans
With the permission of the Brazilian health authorities and Conmebol, Atlético Mineiro will have the possibility of having
16 thousand people in Mineirao
for the duel against River. That is, approximately 30% of the stadium's capacity. According to the Mineiro leadership, the tickets are already sold out and all those who will go to the field must present a PCR or a negative antigen test of the last 72 hours.