River and a new reference table: who are the members of the red circle in the Millonario locker room

In River there is a new stage in the locker room. After the departure of several leaders, the team will have other leaders and change will occur naturally. This, logically, will bring a reorganization in the internal life and composition of the group. And a search for harmony and connection with Martin Demichelis and its technical staff.

Among the players who left the club at the end of 2023 were several players who were important in everyday life. The captain left Enzo Perez and other historians, such as the leader Jonathan Maidana, Nicola De La Cruztransferred to Flamengo, Matías Suarez AND Bruno Zuculiniwho also made up the table of representatives in the concentrations.

To these five players we must add FrancoArmani, Nacho Fernandez AND Milton helmet, which continue in River. Indeed, The three of them will take on the new leadership. By history in the club and by age. The goalkeeper is 37 years old and has been at the club since 2018. The midfielder has turned 34 and it is his second cycle at Núñez, where he first arrived in 2016. And the full-back, 35 years old, is the oldest. since he arrived in 2015. They are the remaining players of the old guard. Madrid heroes, from now on they will lead the dressing room. Armani will be the new captain, while Fernández and Casco will accompany them as vice-captains.

“Enzo Pérez is a reference for the club, with whom I personally got on very well. “These are stages that are being completed, he has made the decision to leave, he will know his reasons”.Fernández had spoken about the departure of the Mendoza native, who wore the ribbon on and off the pitch. And I add: “Many leaders have left, but Franco, Milton, me and there are others, like Pity, Ramiro, Matías and also Manu, who can be references”.

“We were already alternating the captaincy. Obviously the responsibility is now even greater. But one has the knowledge. The older, more experienced guys on the team, even though we didn’t lead the team, we also had that role of leading a locker room and bringing the younger guys forward, guiding them. This year with many more responsibilities, but very proud and happy”Armani commented on his new role.

“There are guys who know the club very well, who have been with us since previous years. This makes everything easier. And with the years he has in the institution, he knows very well how the club is run. For my part, they contribute as I always have, there are also Nacho and Milton who have a role of reference. As I always say: we must add and give our maximum contribution to the team and the young people”, added the goalkeeper who already wore the ribbon for the first time in 2019, with only one year at the club.

Part of this substitution can be seen in a photo that River published on his social networks on Friday the 12th during the preseason in Bradenton, United States. That day they sang happy birthday to Nacho Fernández. And in the photo of their table, with the cake in the centre, there were Armani, Casco, Ramiro Funes Mori, Too bad Martinez AND Matias Kranevitter. These are the new River references. To which they could very well be added Manuele Lanzini AND Leandro Gonzalez Pirezwith a history in the club and emerged from the lower divisions, as Kranevitter AND Funes Mori.

Belonging to that table has a special meaning. Because it doesn’t just mark affinity due to a question of age or career: being part of it also confirms that there are references who will guide the team from now on. Those who join come from a younger generation but are already over three decades old: Kranevitter (30), Pity Martínez (30), Lanzini (30) and Funes Mori (32).

The return of these former footballers, regardless of their footballing conditions, also suggested that the change of management would not be so abrupt and that there could be players of intermediate age and experience in the club so that the transition was orderly and that there they were airs of renewal. Kranevitter and Funes Mori were also American champions in 2015 and Pity won the Libertadores and also the 2018 one, in Madrid.

Although Pity is now injured and will be out of action for 7-8 months due to torn cruciate ligaments in his left knee, he will support from the outside. He is a player much loved by his teammates and he has that spark that every group needs.

Before discovering this new and serious injury, Pity had expressed his expectations for 2024: “For what it represents it must be a reference, but I don’t think so. With my attitudes I try to give reference to the younger ones. I don’t feel like a captain, neither now nor in the future. I try to be a positive leader on the other hand. I’m happy to be at River, which is what I wanted. On the pitch I will demonstrate that I am up to the task and that I will try to do more. It’s a good personal challenge, I hope to stay there for a long time.”

River has changed the leadership in its dressing room, which is expected to be renewed at the beginning of 2024. There is a new table of references.