To win the
Copa Libertadores
, central hierarchy markers are needed.
It is one of the many old axioms that have been repeated since the origin of this competition.
And that beyond the changes in football, it is still valid.
In
River
they know it.
That is why in the middle of the year they will try to make a strong commitment to put together a defense accustomed to big battles.
The objective is clear.
The idea is to join Nicolás Otamendi and Ramiro Funes Mori.
Two players with different realities, but with proven experience.
One comes from being a world champion and playing
in the Champions League
.
The other is in Mexican soccer.
But he knows the club, he performed at River and at some point he was a national team player.
With the elimination of Benfica at the hands of Inter in the quarterfinals of the European Champions League,
now the seduction operation for Otamendi can advance.
It is known: the central marker is a fan of River and he wants to wear the red band before leaving football.
At almost 35 years old, still in force and with a contract with the Portuguese club that expires in June, it may be the right time.
Above all, if River manages to advance to the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores
.
As
Clarín was able to find out,
the talks are permanent with the representative and the environment of Otamendi.
And if they did not intensify the dialogue that began with the player when he was in the country for Argentina's friendlies with Panama and Curaçao in March as part of the celebrations for obtaining the third world cup for the National Team, it was because the defender fully involved in the competition with Benfica in the Champions League.
Lautaro Martínez loses in the jump with Nicolás Otamendi, in the duel that Inter beat Benfica on aggregate for the Champions League.
Photo: AP
But, now, beyond the difficulties that may exist, they will try to move forward.
"We know about the desire of Nicolás Otamendi. But we also know about the numbers that Benfica manages. For now it is difficult, unless he says that he wants to sit at a table with us", admitted the sports director of River, Enzo Francescoli
.
The idea is precisely to try to make this dialogue take place at a table
.
And thus begin to have formal talks so that the landing of Otamendi becomes a reality and materializes the seduction operation that began with a public statement by Martín Demichelis, shortly after assuming the technical direction of River.
“I came out world champion and then I came to River” ,
Micho
had said
at a press conference while the World Cup in Qatar was still being played.
River's coach also knows Otamendi since they were teammates at Manchester City and in the National Team.
After Demichelis,
Franco Armani, Otamendi's teammate in the National Team, also tempted him.
"We are going to be waiting for him
," he said at his first post-World Cup press conference.
And Nacho Fernández did the same: “There is a world champion that is being talked about who could come.
Let him come, we are waiting for him ”.
And the leadership also did its thing.
On the night of March 23, after the National Team's celebrations at the Monumental, they gave River shirts to several players, among them (also those who emerged from the club and Lionel Messi) Otamendi, given his fanaticism for the club .
Ota
took her red band with the number 19 on her back to his house.
Faced with this situation, the defender commented: “I'm a River fan, they already know that.
And I am grateful to River.
It is a source of pride that a club of this magnitude praises you the way they do, I receive a lot of love from the people and it makes me happy”.
And he added: "I know Micho and he flattered me what he said about me."
Regarding Funes Mori, it seems simpler.
It is that the
Twin
is left with the pass in his possession in the middle of the year and would leave Cruz Azul de México.
So, everything pointed out that at the age of 32 he would return to River, where he left eight years ago, after winning the 2015 Copa Libertadores, when he was transferred to Everton in England.
At that time, in addition, he was part of Gerardo Martino's calls to the National Team.
There have already been contacts with him and there are great chances that he will wear the River shirt again.
Ramiro and Rogelio Funes Mori in a clash in Mexico.
Photo: EFE/ Sáshenka Gutiérrez
Other names that seduce
Another last name that is always going around due to the player's own wishes is that of
Manuel Lanzini
: Manu has it in his head to return sooner rather than later, but the current economic situation still ties him to Europe.
In June, his relationship with West Ham ends, which has a clause to automatically extend it if the parties agree: his return will not depend, of course, on a River that, beyond being in good finances, cannot compete with the powerful Premier League.
And much less in the harsh economic context of the country.
Another name that is dreamed of is that of
Roberto Pereyra
:
Tucu
, still with a contract in Udinese, has been in contact with the River Board of Directors for a while.
Although his return could be delayed since, at 32, he still has a strong market in Europe, to the point that several Italian clubs probed him, including Inter.
Tucu Pereyra likes it, but it seems far away.
Photo: EFE/EPA/ETTORE GRIFFONI
And the Pity Martinez?
The man from Mendoza has one more season of ties ahead with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr, while he is in Buenos Aires recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and during the World Cup in Qatar he was in contact with part of the leadership River.
His return could happen but not now, but in 2024.
Meanwhile, the rumors that arose regarding
the possibilities of James Rodríguez and Alexis Sánchez arriving at the club have no basis.
From the club they denied that both have chances to wear River's shirt, at least in the short term.
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