Franco Armani joins the “operator Otamendi”: “We hope to be able to have him here in the middle of the year”

There is a scream inside River by a world champion. It concerns Nicola Otamendithe defender who played in a great World Cup and who was a piece in the journey of Argentina national team in Qatar. And that, as already known, he is a fan of River. Then, the public statements of the members of the River Plate planet are reiterated with the request to the central scorer to come to the village in June and put the red band on his chest.

Now it’s Franco Armani’s turn to express the good wishes, Otamendi’s teammate in the national team and also world champion. “We hope we can have Otamendi hereHe is a player with a great trajectory, experience, hierarchy. Hopefully in the middle of the year he will be able to make that decision, come to the River and of course we will welcome him with open arms as we do with all the players who come to the institute. He will think about what he will do between now and mid-year, but God willing it happens because having a player of that stature here with us would be spectacular. Let’s hope it can happen, it’s his decision and the family is behind him too,” said the goalkeeper in the press conference he held after River’s training this Tuesday at the Ezeiza.

Armani joined the message of Ignacio Fernández, who, laughing, on Saturday, after the victory over Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero. “We hope everyone who wants to come back and there is someone who came out as world champion who is always there, so we hope he comes too, we are waiting for him,” said Nacho, in clear reference to Otamendi.

Martín Demichelis had already done his job when, already dressed as River coach, he sent a direct message to Otamendi at the press conference before the end of the World Cup. “Nico, I’m talking to you. I want you to be a world champion and come fulfill your dream of playing for River so that all of Argentine football can honor you. At 34, you are one of the best defenders in the Cup of the World,” Micho said.

Contacts are There are public and private messages. River’s president, Jorge Brito, has admitted that they will try to pursue him. “Otamendi has a contract with Benfica and when the time comes we will try to talk to him. It would be very important to have a player in his hierarchy,” said Núñez’s club boss.

And Otamendi himself also sends signals. He continues to show his fanaticism for the club through his social networks. In a video he uploaded to his Instagram account, from the plane that transported the Benfica team to play against Arouca in the Portuguese league, he showed his partner’s thermos which has a River label.

Otamendi has a contract with the Portuguese club until June 30 and hasn’t decided on his future yet. According to what Clarín has been able to find out, in addition to the fact that he has the possibility of renewing for another year at Benfica, he is tempted by the possibility of returning to Argentine football and wearing the shirt of the club he is a fan of.

In other replies, Armani, who shared a month in Qatar with Otamendi, continued with the seduction plan. “At River we are still a family. That concept remains intact even after the coaching staff has changed. They have the same line, the same mentality and the vast majority of the players we are with have been at the club for several years now. River is still a family. We support whoever comes and it will never be lost. We continue to be the same family that we have always been. And we hope that this family can welcome Otamendi in June,” said the world champion goalkeeper.

More from Armani: between the excitement of the World Cup, the role of leader and the enthusiasm of continuing to win

Franco Armani left other definitions in the press conference he held at the Ezeiza RiverCamp, from the recognition for having been World Champion to the new ideas of Martín Demichelis and his future as a goalkeeper.

Recognition for being world champion: “It is a great joy to be able to have this recognition, from the first moment I left the dressing room, entered the pitch, went to warm up, it was a very nice and emotional welcome. I am very grateful to the people of Santiago del Estero, the fan of River, and also the fans of Central Córdoba who welcomed me very well. It is a great cure for me and it gives me a lot of motivation and joy to keep winning things. The World Cup for each player is the maximum achievement, he’s having fun but at the same time I want to keep winning.”

Equipment operation: “The most important thing to save from the start of this new phase is defensive solidity. Since we started the first friendlies in the new era of Martín (Demichelis), we started with the idea of ​​being a solid team in defense and keeping clean sheet We know that at any moment of the match we will have opportunities to score and this happened in friendlies and at the league debut, we must continue to build confidence and winning becomes easier work and I correct mistakes as well as the correct functioning of the team in all his lines, with a clear idea of ​​the game which is what Martín wants and what he instills in us every day. We must continue along this line.”

The idea of ​​playing from below: “I feel very at ease, I did it when I was at Nacional, with two different coaches. In the United States, in friendlies, it went very well. There were many moments when we started the game on goal and ended up in the rival goal. It couldn’t be done on Saturday because the pitch wasn’t good. But another game idea that we had prepared too was realized. Obviously there are moments, there are other programs, especially when the opposing team puts a a lot of pressure on it. There are different situations where you have to make a decision on the field of play and try to do it in the best way.”

The management: “A leader can be formed. I speak from myself, who was taking the lead over time. I grew up and was guided by the greatest when I arrived at River, by Leonardo Ponzio, by Javier Pinola and today I am together with Enzo Pérez in that place and it’s growing day by day. Some have the virtue of being born with that leadership and some not, we’re learning that over time. And that touched me and age makes you more mature and you learn day by day.”

Supporting fellow younger goalkeepers: “Ezequiel Centurión, as well as Franco Petroli and Lucas Lavagnino, are fantastic guys who are working very well and are growing and it is a joy to have them as teammates. As for Ezequiel, he has had a great growth, it has helped him a lot to be able to leave the club and have continuity in Estudiantes de Buenos Aires and play, he arrived with a different head, more prepared, more mature and it showed when he had to play, with great performances. we have to support him, on my side in training it’s up to me to talk to them and correct them when I have to. And we also have a goalkeeper coach who is Alejandro (Saccone)”.

The future: “I couldn’t think about my future. I live from day to day, I enjoy day by day, which is the most important thing. I feel happy here in River, I’m in the place where I want to be “, but I still don’t think about analyzing the my future. We will see over time. I think and enjoy it day by day and my team mates and the new coaching staff and that’s the main thing. The other will be seen over time.