Enzo Pérez, the leader of River who can climb the flag of idols while negotiating his renewal

Enzo Pérez graduated as a leader. If he was missing a few boxes to fill, last Sunday in the Superclásico at the Monumental, the River captain completed them all. Thus, the midfielder who plays with his heart has an ever-growing love affair with the club. Fans propose on social networks to elevate him to the flag of idols. While, Management talks with Mendoza are progressing for the renewal of the contract for another year.

Pérez played in leather on Sunday. He showed his ribbon on his left arm. He fielded his football, increasingly strengthened and rejuvenated, regardless of his 37 years, he scored until the second half, shouted the goal loudly, separated his teammates and rivals in the final tussle, climbed onto the new metal structure of the lower stand of the Sívori and joined the fanstook a wooden flag, celebrated like another fan, marked the team’s line later in the press conference, in which he slapped Agustín Palavecino on the wrist and in the locker room sang for “La Michenette”. Complete combo.

Just as happened in Marcelo Gallardo’s cycle, Pérez shows great commitment to the Demichelis project. Since the arrival of the current manager, he has played 17 out of 20 games. He averages 82 minutes played per game, and today he is the professional league midfielder with the most successful passes per game (57.5 with 87 % efficiency).

It is the axis of the game River with a much more important role. Not only for his cutting and passing characteristics, to which is added a greater presence in the offensive circuit, but also for his role off the ball: constantly commands, leads and talks with his peers. In game and in training. As a reference, try to make sure nothing is left to chance.

But Pérez is much more than a player every type of terrain. It is the flag of this river. It is the passion for colors. Those that have been in his blood since he was a child and just as he experiences the Superclásicos on the pitch, he also felt them when he was on the other side.

Like when, already a professional player in Godoy Cruz, he got into the car with his wife, brother-in-law and father-in-law to cover 1,000 kilometers in one night and arrive at the Monumental the next morning in Núñez to be at the Monumental in the afternoon and watch the Superclásico that River beat Boca 3-1 on Sunday October 8, 2006. And they also gambled to buy tickets on the street because they hadn’t bought them before.

A year later, already with the Estudiantes shirt, he will play for the Monumental for the first time, in a match that Pincha lost 4-2 with River. And in 2009 he shouted a goal against Boca euphoric, in front of his fans, on the Quilmes pitch.

After crossing Europe, Pérez joined River in 2017. When the opportunity she longed for, to wear the shirt of her loves, presented itself, she didn’t hesitate. And she also resigned to come.

It’s been almost six years now at the River. He was champion of America, got 8 titles (in addition to Copa Libertadores, Recopa Sudamericana, two Argentine Cups, two Super Cups and a Champions Trophy) and now without Leonardo Ponzio and Javier Pinola on the pitch, Gallardo gave him the ribbon. With the retirement of the former central midfielder, first and then the former defender, respectively, Enzo is no longer just the captain, but slowly he has become the leader he is today, on and off the pitch.

He doesn’t want to think too much about his future, beyond the fact that the only certainty he has is that he will finish his career at Deportivo Maipú de Mendoza, where he started. Now enjoy your day and will extend the announcement to extend his time at River through the end of 2024 to see how you feel. In any case, talks have already begun and the idea, in principle, is to renew for another year. Thus, he would have at least one more Superclásico in the Monumental. As much as Sunday played as if it were the last.

In Maipú they await the return of the prodigal son

Enzo Pérez has already declared it publicly He will finish his career where he started it, that is, at Deportivo Maipú de Mendoza. The club bears the name of that department of Mendoza, one of the most important in the province, which has more than 200,000 inhabitants and an important fruit and wine-growing business, as well as a large number of wineries and food industries.

The club was founded in 1927 and after a long career in the Mendoza league, it was the first from the province to play in Nacional B, when it managed to enter the tournament after the 1986 qualifiers, the very year it was born Enzo Perez.

He remained in the second tier of Argentine football until 1992 and after relegation he began a free fall that led him to play in the B of the Mendoza League. Little by little, rebuilding began, and in 2003 they would once again win the annual Mendoza League tournament. A year earlier, on 8 September 2002, Enzo Pérez, at the age of 16, had made his debut in the club’s First Division and shortly after was transferred to Godoy Cruz.

Maipú returned to Nacional in 2021, after 29 years, after beating Deportivo Madryn in the final of the Torneo Federal A. And he is currently escorted -with 24 points- by Chacarita (the leader, with 27) in Zone B of the second division tournament of Argentine football. While they dream of playing in the First Division, in Maipú await the return of Enzo Pérezhis prodigal son.