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River Plate has the most consolidated work in South America with Marcelo Gallardo. South American champion in 2014, Libertadores the following year. Semifinalist in 2017, champion in 2018 and vice last year. The final of the single is missing in the last minutes. He also missed the unprecedented Argentine title with Galardo for rival Boca Juniors in the final round.
Oscillations that do not affect the prestige of the idol coach, former star of the club. Also because the team reinvents itself and maintains the high level of competition, especially in the playoffs. In the quarterfinals, he authoritatively imposed an aggregate historical score of 8 to 2 over the traditional and three-time National Champion.
However, it is necessary to contextualize what happened in the Central Park, in Montevideo. The expulsion of goalkeeper Sergio Rochet at 18 minutes of play and the departure of Trezza, right back of the 3-4-3 set up by coach Jorge Giordano, gave River the numerical advantage that a mature and mature team knows how to explore well and He handed over the right back of the defense to the strongest sector of the Argentine team.
There, Angileri, De La Cruz and Carrascal, a 22-year-old Colombian midfielder who replaces Ignácio Fernández, lay down and turned. Beautiful goals from the last two in shots to the left corner of goalkeeper Mejía. Constructing the 2-0 that, due to the “classified” goal after scoring the same score on the trip to Buenos Aires, practically defined the classification and transformed the rest of the match into training. Without the usual Uruguayan violence when the game is already lost. Perhaps the lack of fans helped Nacional to play all the time without appealing.
On the contrary, they attacked all the time, initially risking a 3-3-3 that reduced the defeat at the end of the first half with left-back Ayrton Cougo and, in the second half, Santiago Rodríguez would still score a beautiful goal. But there was no way to keep Galhardo’s team playing fast and with quality, investing the game and well organized on the field, alternating the usual 4-1-3-2 with a 4-2-3-1.
With Bruno Zuculini now on second wheel helping veteran Ponzio, he now joins the offensive quartet and scores the third goal. The previous one for Borré to score three more and reach six in the competition. With absolute naturalness, taking advantage of favorable circumstances, which is also a merit. Carrascal, a 22-year-old Colombian, is yet another find from Gallardo.
But it shouldn’t scare Palmeiras. Especially with the return of the semi-final on synthetic grass at Allianz Parque. Angileri is good in support, but defensively fragile, especially in direct confrontation with the attacker. Gabriel Verón can grow with him. If Milton Casco returns, better for Gallardo.
The defense formed by Paulo Díaz and Robert Rojas is not high and doubtful in the aerial game. Ron is not a center forward, but on dead balls the Brazilian team should be uncomfortable.
In addition, the defensive transition of the Argentine team, when the low pressure is overcome by the opponent, usually leads to the team spaced and exposed. It is the “short blanket” of an offensive proposal, even if the game model is assimilated.
In attack, Matías Suárez, who most of the time occupies the right side, as a second striker or typical forward, leaves something to be desired in the final. The couple with Borré, in more even matches, usually miss the lack of strength. 20-year-old prodigy Julián Álvarez is more likely to collaborate to make the attack more efficient than Lucas Pratto, clearly out of shape.
Games in early 2021 promise. And Palmeiras has the good news of the end of the year Brazilian parade to focus on the Copa do Brasil and this giant duel for the South American tournament. It is time to recover injured and, above all, to train, because afterwards there will be consecutive games to adjust to the calendar and the squad will be tested again.
In Libertadores, the confrontation between a six-year job and that of Abel Ferreira that will take place two months in January. But it is possible to balance forces in the playoffs. Atlético showed it in the round of 16, complicating the life of the “Millionaires”. Play in the semifinals!
