The challenges of the big five: what is at stake for Boca, River, Independiente, Racing and San Lorenzo in 2024

2024 has already begun. And the Argentine football teams do not want to waste time ahead of a year full of competitions. Especially the so-called “big ones”, who generally bear the greatest responsibilities and demands. Each of them has different goals that they will try to achieve in the next twelve months. With his diverse resources, reinforcements in a difficult market and his constant quest to transcend and try to bring joy to his fans. A new adventure begins for everyone.

River and the replacement of Demichelis

For being the last of the greats to finish the 2023 season, in which he was champion of the Professional League and the Champions Trophythe team he leads Martin Demichelis He will return to work next Saturday and on Sunday at dawn he will leave for Orlando (United States) to carry out the pre-season, for which he has already confirmed a friendly match which will be played on Wednesday 17th against Rayados of Monterrey.

It will be a special preparation for 2024 in which The main focus will be the Copa Libertadores, although he will aim to become the king of local football again. He has ahead six tournaments this year: the Libertadores, the League Cup, the Professional League, the Argentine Cup, the Argentine Super Cup and the International Super Cup.

Established at the national level, ‘Micho’ will try to get rid of the thorn in the continental tournament, after the elimination in the round of 16 with Inter in Porto Alegre, the last edition, which was a hard blow not only for the coach, but also for the club. In turn, after the departure of three historical figures such as Enzo Pérez, Jonatan Maidana and Nicolás De La Cruzthere will be a challenge to reconfigure the locker room, which will certainly be made by the other references that continue as FrancoArmani, Nacho Fernandez, Too bad Martinez AND Milton helmet.

To do this he will have a refined squad, with fewer players, based on the number (no more than 30) he intended to work with. At the same time they will try to field a team with a lower average age, more dynamic and with a 4-3-1-2 or 4-3-3 system, in which they will provide a lot of movement. TO Claudio Echeverrithe young player who turned 18 this Tuesday and who has already been transferred to Manchester City but will remain at Núñez for another year.

Meanwhile, the coach already has his first reinforcement: the Uruguayan Nicola Fonsecacentral midfielder. “Getting to River is a dream come true. I am very eager and have goals. “The time has come to contribute my grain of sand so that the institution continues to be successful.”said Daniel Fonseca’s son, 24, upon his arrival in the country. And they are looking for another midfielder and a striker. He signed up Federico Redondobut the Argentines ask for a lot of money.

And as for the attacker, Luca Alario He fell, as River had to incur a high expense to acquire him from Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany and, furthermore, he has not played since March 15 due to a right knee injury. The efforts were initiated by Matías Arezoformer Uruguayan Peñarol.

Meanwhile, River ensures Leandro Gonzalez Pirezgiven that he completed the right of redemption of 200 thousand dollars with Inter Miami of the United States and retained one hundred percent of the central scoreboard pass.

For their part, in addition to Pérez, Maidana and De La Cruz, they have left Emanuele Mammana AND Bruno Zuculini. Meanwhile, negotiations continue for the renewal of the Matías Suarezalthough it is expected to continue for another year.

Boca, looking for stability

New Year New Life. The saying fits perfectly with Xeneize, who will try to start from scratch. With Juan Roman Riquelme as a newcomer to the presidency, he bets on a young coach Diego Martinez, 45 years old, but already with an intense career. The former coach of Huracán and Tigre, among other teams, began his career at Xeneize together with his collaborators. The technical staff that will accompany him is made up of his assistants on the field Cristian Bardaro, Adrian González AND Gustavo Rodriguez; physical trainers Juan Manuel Conte AND Leandro Mazziotti; educate Patrizio Ciavarella; the goalkeeping coach Pablo Campodonico; and the video analyst Omar Mateo.

Martínez signed his contract for one year with an option for another year, after a complicated negotiation in which Huracán, the club where he worked and where he had six months left on his contract, asked him for financial compensation to terminate the contract.

After several days of back and forth, the parties reached an agreement for a sum close to 200 thousand dollars to finalize the coach’s separation from the Parque de los Patricios club.

On the first day of work, the team went to Ezeiza to carry out a series of usual analyzes before the start of the preseason, with the aim of preparing for the competition, which will be tough and with the pressure that Boca always has to obtain titles .

We saw it early Sergio Chiquito Romero, Dario Benedetto, Lucas Blondel AND Nicola Figalwho stopped with their cars at the entrance to sign autographs and take photos with the handful of fans waiting for them.

By not playing the Copa Libertadores, all weapons will be aimed at achieving the objective South American Cup. Furthermore, winning the League Cup or the Professional League again, after a 2023 in which Xeneize achieved only the Argentine Super Cup (before the Board of Directors of Paraná).

For now, there are victims Diego Pulpo Gonzalez AND Facundo Roncaglia. And the technician will have to decide whether to continue Franco Fabra, Dario Benedetto, Norberto Briasco, Jordan Campuzano, Juan Ramirez AND Bruno Valdez. At the same time, one must also determine the future of those who have returned from loans, as in the case of Gonzalo Maroni (Saint Lawrence), Maxi Zalazar (Platense), Renzo Giampaoli (Quilmes), Agostino Obando AND Aaron Molinas (Tiger).

As for reinforcements, the first would be agreed upon and would constitute the central marker Cristian Lema, which will come from Lanús. The reconfiguration of the midfield would take place with the offensive Matías Rojasthe mixed Kevin Zeno and talent Always Banegawhich has practically everything closed to seal his return to the club.

Independent, to make the leap with Tevez

With the confirmation of Carlos Tevez As coach, Rojo begins a year in which he will try to win a title again. This is the primary objective. Even if the lower area is not to be overlooked because it starts nine points behind Lanús, last in the average table, without counting the newly promoted teams, in Avellaneda there is no longer talk of saving themselves from relegation but of making a leap in quality.

At the end of last season they were one step away from qualifying for the League Cup playoffs and in 2024 they will be looking for revenge. Without playing international cups, the bet will exclusively concern local tournamentswith which he will try to pay off a debt that has already accumulated 22 years without being able to conquer one.

As for reinforcements, Rojo has already confirmed the arrival of four players: Gabriele Avalos (Argentinos Juniors), Ignacio Maestro Puch (Atlético Tucumán), Adrian Spörle (Arsenal), Alex Luna (Atletico Rafaela). And they left Martino Cauteruccio, Javier Baez, Renzo Bacchia, Tommaso Pozzo, Agostino Mulet AND Martino Sarrafiore.

Meanwhile the young people Santi López – who played with the Argentine national team in the Under 17 World Cup – seems fine and would sign a contract renewal to go to the pre-season that the team will carry out in Miami starting this week.

“A lot of effort has been made where we come from and where we are. The credit goes to everyone: from the managers and technical staff, to the fans and partners.”assured the club president Nestore Grindetti, in statements to SuperMitre Deportivo. And I add: “The goal is clearly to win a tournament. I think we’re there, we have the possibilities.”.

The races and the commitment to a historic goal

The Academy wants to make the leap it has threatened in recent years and try to win an international title. He won’t play the Copa Libertadores but he will play in Copa Sudamericana, where they will try to fight with Boca. To do this, he hired a historic and well-known member of the club as Gustavo Costawho will once again have a new opportunity as Academy coach.

At the same time, the Biancoceleste half of Avellaneda will also be looking for a local title after coming close to the finish line with Fernando Gago in 2022 and last year with Sebastiano Grazzini in the last League Cup.

Racing, who started work on Tuesday, have signed the attackers Adriano Martinez (Institute) e Massimiliano Salas (Palestinian). And they left Annibale Moreno, Gabriel Hauche, Emiliano Insua, Gonzalo Piovi, Catriel Cabellos.

San Lorenzo, change of leadership and same illusion

With the air renewed for the inauguration of the new president, Marcelo Morettiin Boedo they are betting on the continuity of Ruben Darío Insua, who did an excellent job last year and had an excellent season with Ciclón. With few resourcesGallego worked hard for his team to finish third in the Professional League, although he failed to give them an advantage in the League Cup. Obviously it was enough to qualify for the Copa Libertadores according to the annual rankings.

So, there is excitement that they can make a good presentation in the continental competition and in turn, they will also try to fight for a local title.

San Lorenzo, which will return to work this Thursday, has suffered the loss of a reference, Battle of Augustus, key in the bow. And they are gone too Jalil Elias, Federico Girotti, Gonzalo Maroni, Nicola Blandi AND Carlos Auzqui. In the meantime, I have a verbal agreement for the midfielder’s arrival. Eric Rimediby Banfield and the attacker Cristian Tarragonafrom Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.