What happened between Enzo Pérez and Demichelis: the reasons that led the River captain to sign with Estudiantes

With those words, Enzo Pérez said goodbye to River on December 23rd, after winning his tenth title with the club, obtaining the Champions Trophy, after the 2-0 of Núñez’s team over Rosario Central in Santiago del Estero. Then he underlined: “This is not the time to talk. “I want to leave with great memories.”

What did Enzo Pérez have to say and did he choose to remain silent? Why didn’t he say it? Obviously, the man from Mendoza felt uncomfortable in his last time at River, a situation generated by the discomfort he had with Martin Demicheliswhich was exposed last night at Madre de Ciudades and is confirmed in the player’s decision to return to Estudiantes de La Plata.

In Santiago del Estero, when Pérez left the pitch, greeting the River Plate crowd who cheered him and kissing the shield on his shirt, when he reached the sideline he hugged Jonatan Maidana, the other historic player who greeted him that evening and replaced. it is Then he began to greet each of those on the reserve bench.

It started with members of the coaching staff and continued with his teammates. He said goodbye to everyone except Javier Pinola and Demichelis. He did it with Pinola later, during the awards ceremony. They hugged each other for a long time and with all their hearts. Evidently he hadn’t approached before because the field assistant was almost fond of the coach.

As far as he knew Clarion, in recent months, Pérez and Demichelis have not had a dialogue. Now, What happened between them for the relationship to end that way? They had been teammates in the national team and when Micho arrived they appeared, at least outwardly, united. They also hugged each other after celebrating a goal in the middle of the Monumentale field when Enzo came on “cococho” of Martin.

However, The relationship broke down after the players learned of the conversations the coach had had with journalists.of which the players had received the version of some criticism from the DT.

But in truth the problem arose before. And there were several factors. Among these, some unusual public statements by the coach and his exposure on television programs; and, on the other, football issues.

From the surroundings of Mendoza they assure it Enzo felt from the first moment that Demichelis wanted to remove him from the team, beyond what he said in press conferences or the praise he gave him. First of all with the arrival of Matías Kranevitter, injured in the first friendly and left out for a long time. And later, when Pérez himself remained without playing for three weeks due to synovitis in his knee, in the middle of the year, the coach imagined a team with four midfielders, with Rodrigo Aliendro as “5”.

But those problems are now part of the past, beyond the irritation that River fans feel in seeing Enzo, already considered an idol of Núñez, at Estudiantes de La Plata. Pérez chose to return to the club with which he won his first Copa Libertadores, in 2009.

Finally, after his decision to leave River, where he won 10 titles, including the 2018 Libertadores, not having had the opportunities he could have had from abroad (Inter Miami, the team where Lionel Messi plays, and All Ittihad of Saudi Arabia, where Marcelo Gallardo manages), and that Deportivo Maipú, the club in which he started and in which he brought resources in recent times, did not arrive in the First Division, the mendoza accepted the offer of the Pincha management.

This Wednesday he signed the contract. And so what Juan Sebastián Verón and his companions had cooked slowly and patiently was consumed. The fact is that Estudiantes had been seducing Pérez since he confirmed his departure from River. But in reality they had already spoken to him before, when Enzo interrupted the negotiation for the renewal with Núñez’s club.

From Verón himself, vice-president of Estudiantes, to other Pincha idols – and his former teammates in the historic 2009 Copa Libertadores – such as Mariano Andújar, they were the ones who they ate the head behind the wheel to turn around. And it finally came to fruition, after the oral agreement was reached last week and the bond was signed this Wednesday.

Now Pérez will play until December with the red and white shirt, but with stripes. At the UN, where he has always welcomed him very well, they are enthusiastic about this return and want to see him on the pitch. And Enzo already has a complex challenge in his archive, not only from a footballing point of view, but also from an emotional point of view: the final of the Argentine Super Cup.

The match, which Estudiantes joined as champions of the Argentine Cup, and which will be played in March, will be against River (winners of the Professional League). There Enzo and Demichelis will meet again…