Pity Martínez’s dilemma at River: how long it will take to return and the possibility of replacing him

The shot is big. Not only for what he manages to generate on the pitch, but also for his influence in the locker room, with his dose of freshness and positive energy. The loss of Gonzalo Martínez causes a strong impact on Núñez. To make matters worse, the prognosis for recovery is complex. It is therefore not out of the question that River may look for a replacement.

It’s a shame that Martínez suffered another serious injury. River confirmed the midfielder’s diagnosis in the medical report: rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. During Saturday’s preseason practice in Florida, the left-hander felt discomfort, fell to the ground, was checked and performed knee stability movements (“boxing maneuver”) and then continued to play for 43 minutes. But he ended with discomfort. What was initially thought to be a slight sprain turned out to be something worse.

The recovery time for these injuries is usually six to eight months. But there’s a problem: This isn’t Pity’s first anterior cruciate ligament injury. Last year he also suffered an injury to his left knee. And, as far as he could tell Clarion, recidivism generates greater difficulties and rehabilitation periods may be longer. He could miss most of the year and only be able to play in the final stages of the Copa Libertadores and the Professional League, before the end of 2024.

For this reason, River does not rule out looking for a replacement. “We have time to evaluate it,” a senior leader said in conversation with this newspaper. The Argentine football transfer market will end on Thursday 25th of this month, before the start of the League Cup (although it is usually extended) and for international transfers the TMS closes on February 18th.

It is Pity’s third serious knee injury.. In 2021 he dislocated his right hand and had to undergo surgery to stabilize the external collateral ligament. He followed the advice of Cugat Ramón Cugat, a Spanish doctor specializing in traumatology, arthroscopy and orthopedic surgery, who has treated great football figures, including Kun Agüero.

At that time he managed to recover well. And he returned to play nine months later. Then, in 2022, he suffered from pericarditis and spent another period without playing. And in February 2023, while still playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, he suffered a ligament injury in his left knee. The rehabilitation was carried out in Buenos Aires, together with the kinesiologist Franco Bombicino, former member of Marcelo Gallardo’s technical staff.

But Martínez underwent surgery with Cugat, in Barcelona. And now he will also travel to undergo surgery again with the prestigious Spanish doctor and then begin his recovery in Buenos Aires with the River doctors and kinesiologists.

Beyond the long period that is spoken about in private in terms of recovery times, it is worth remembering that even last year it was thought that Pity could only be ready to play between November and December or to start the preseason of this 2024. However, he returned to the pitch at the end of September (on the Banfield pitch, in the 1-1 draw against Taladro), a week before the Superclásico which River beat Boca 2 to 0 at the Bombonera, for the Copa de the Copa League.

Martínez, aged 30, returned to River in August last year after leaving the club in January 2019 to play for Atlanta United in the MLS. Subsequently, from September 2020 to today, he played for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia, where he shared the team with the Portuguese champion Cristiano Ronaldo.

At River they regret his injury, for everything that Mercy means, who Since his return he has played 8 matches and scored 1 goal (to Huracán, from a free kick, in the Monumental). His presence is important on and off the pitch. For this reason, when the club released the medical report through its social networks almost at dawn on Monday in Argentina, the news aroused pain, anger and helplessness in the Riverplantese planet. Players, coaching staff, managers and fans sent messages of encouragement to Pity Martínez. The footballer’s family and friends also did so.

River has published a plaque to accompany the wheel during this difficult time. “Come on and come back with everything, Mercy“, wrote the club through its social networks. Immediately afterwards, thousands of fans sent him signs of affection in the comments. And the club president, Jorge Brito, and the Pity teammates replicated River’s message on their accounts.

“The beautiful thing about evil is seeing all those people who accompany you, support you and want to continue watching you play, including me. We all have to learn from you,” said Priscila Ventura, Martínez’s wife, in her networks. Along the same lines she acknowledged: “You are immense, Pieta. You will prove once again that you can.”

In closing, the midfielder’s wife indirectly mentioned the number of times the footballer suffered an injury of these characteristics and returned to the pitch. “Teaching by example, there is nothing more important than this,” she concluded.

Now Pity will be able to reunite with his family in Miami, after leaving the preseason with Bradenton’s Millonario team. He will surround himself with the affection of his wife and daughter before flying to Barcelona to undergo surgery and begin a new recovery. There will be time to think, if River reaches the final stages, about trying to win his third Copa Libertadores, the desire he expressed this year.

The opinion of a specialist: “There is no need to rush the player”

The complexity of Pity Martínez’s recovery is generated by the repetition of the injury in the same place. The man from Mendoza again tore the cruciate ligaments in his left knee, a disorder he also suffered from 11 months ago.

Faced with this situation, Clarín consulted a specialist on the subject. “When there is a ligament tear, normally what you do is put a tendon and do a graft. Generally, it takes 6 to 7 months of recovery, but in this case, where a regraft has to be done , we will have to talk for 8 or 9 months”, said the sportsman and cardiologist Norberto Debbag (MN 51.320), in dialogue with Clarion.

And he continued with his explanation from a medical point of view: “It all depends on the graft that is performed. Usually a tendon is grafted and a piece of muscle from another part is added to strengthen it.”

Regardless of what is done in the operation, Debbag was categorical about recovery, where the key is for the player, which is why he underlined: “The important thing is rehabilitation and not to rush the player. Leave him plenty of time to recover. that he needs.” necessary. You don’t have to rush him to get on the field as quickly as possible. All in his given time. This is the success of the player’s recovery. You don’t have to rush him to work with the ball and soccer, beforehand. Not even a madman.”