The Copa Libertadores match between River and Sporting Cristal was experienced as a final, with gritted teeth on and off the field. And once the 1-1 draw was decreed, some Millonario players went looking for Tiago Nunes, the coach of the Peruvians, whom they pointed out for "making gestures" and provoking the incidents of the end, which resulted in the expulsion of Salomón Rondón.
Later, at a press conference, the Brazilian coach doubled the bet and fired with heavy ammunition against Núñez's team: "The referee approached, asked me to calm down, I asked him if he was nervous because he started the game with three yellows. I told him to be calm, we already have experience in this. There are things during the game, debates, discussions. The people of River always believe they own the Copa Libertadores, of Conmebol. We are already used to this."
In that sense, Nunes whitewashed that it was hot for what was said after the 4-2 in the Monumental: "After the first game in Argentina, we have heard a lot of nonsense, that we are a cowardly team, of shit, it seems to me that it was something very strong for a group that in that game had an average of 22 years. Today it was 24 years old. We are a young team, we are training players not only for Cristal but for Peruvian football."
Even Tiago Nunes did not hide that part of the strategy had to do with making River feel the rigor: "As a Brazilian I competed many times against them. I won some, I lost some. But, if we here as Peruvians want to compete against them we have to mark a certain territory. Here is Lima, it is Peru. We are local, we have to make ourselves respected here."
He added: "The feeling is one of pride for our players, it's not easy. I don't think the quality, the strength, is in a nationality, but we were the only Peruvian team that added on this date. Normally Peruvian teams are not used to fighting for big things in the Cup and we are trying to implement this mentality at Cristal."
More quotes from Tiago Nunes
They explained to River: "We have tried, and maybe it is an opportunity for the next opponents of River, which is a team with a lot of offensive potential but we have scored three goals in two games. There are tactics, strategy, things involved, we didn't put more for the sticks and some things didn't go so well. We are on the road, there is a lot ahead, but if we have the ability to compete as we are doing we will fight for the local title."
The 1-1 draw: "Convinced that we played a Libertadores match, we fought all the time, we tried to score, compete. River was the protagonist in the first half, trying to make the goal with many players of good foot in front of the line of the ball. We had some defensive difficulties, so we tried to get out from behind. In the second half with some corrections the team improved, we balanced the game and arrived more times."
The Cup is played as follows: "Technically it was not our best game, at the level of competition if, we scored, we were present all the time. At the same level as River. They have a lot of hierarchy, we were committed to the tactical plan we had for the game. There is a lot to improve but proud of the character that the team showed today, today was a Libertadores game, many times with heart and strength before tactics, and we scored all the time. We are in an incredible series of games, we play every three days, what these guys are doing has to be recognized."
Qualifying for the knockout stages: "We are alive. There is mathematical possibility of classifying. We already won at altitude on other occasions, it's not a novelty for us, we already beat The Strongest here. They take advantage of the height, it is evident, they beat River and Fluminense, who put substitutes. It will be an even match, which is important for both of us, but with the confidence that we can go for the victory."
Group D accounts
Demichelis and Nunes during the match in Lima (AP).
Although nothing was defined, after the draw in Lima and the victory of Strongest over Fluminense, now both River and Sporting Cristal were forced to win the two remaining matches to advance to the eighth round without depending on other people's results.
The difference is that, while River has two home games ahead, the Peruvians close with two away: The Strongest (June 7) in La Paz and Fluminense in Brazil (June 27).
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