The balance of River’s preseason: serious injuries, the sale of Diablito Echeverri and the arrival of another jewel from the Inferiores

River has had an eventful preseason in the United States. Injuries have dogged the team Martin Demicheliswho after the first victory of the year against Pachuca, returned this Sunday to Buenos Aires, where they will carry out their last week of work this week, before the official debut against Juniors of Argentinanext Sunday at 7pm at the Monumental, for the Professional League Cup.

Beyond the favorable balance in terms of results, after having drawn a match (against Rayados de Monterrey, 1-1) and a victory (1-0 against Pachuca), the tour of the United States, which included training in Bradenton and friendlies in Dallas, left bad news for River.

The injury of Gonzalo Martinez, who tore the cruciate ligaments in his left knee, caused a great impact on the River Plate team. Not only for what Pity represents on the pitch, but also off it, in the group, given his personality, which constantly transmits positive energy.

The man from Mendoza immediately left the field on Sunday 14th, after being injured in the training match against an MLS team. He went to Miami to reunite with his family and this Tuesday he will travel to Barcelona, ​​where he will be operated on by Ramón Cugat, the prestigious Spanish doctor who had already operated on him for the same injury in February last year. Recovery will take the left turn between seven and nine months.

But the injury problem doesn’t stop there. Santiago Simón suffered a dislocation of the first metacarpal of his right hand in Wednesday’s friendly match against Rayados de Monterrey, in which he started as a right-back. He will be out for two months.

In that meeting, FrancoArmani He felt uncomfortable and left at halftime as a precaution. In any case it was nothing and he proved it against Pachuca, a match in which the goalkeeper was the figure of River.

The friendly match against the Mexican team he plays for now Solomon Rondonex River, also brought bad news. Manu Lanzini He suffered discomfort in his right hamstring, for which he had to leave his child at half-time Tobia Leiva He left the field crying due to a strong blow to his knee, caused by a blow from a Pachuca player.

To all this we must add that Ramiro Funes Mori He missed the match against Rayados because he had inflammation in his knee. But he recovered and managed to gain minutes against Pachuca, coming on in the second half Paolo Diaz.

The injuries, in addition to losing key pieces, forced River to have to go on the market in positions in which it was already covered. The managers confirmed that they will replace Simón and Pity Martínez this week We will focus on a right back and a left winger. Furthermore, they are looking for a center forward after the refusals of Lucas Alario and Rafael Santos Borré to return.

In addition to injuries, River also received other bad news at the start of the preseason, when they called up Javier Mascherano Claudio Echeverri to join the squad of the Under 23 national team for the Venezuela Pre-Olympic.

In the ‘millionaire’ delegation they thought of having ‘Diablito’ in the United States to work him well in view of the start of the Professional League Cup and give him more experience to start having fun in the last year of the youth in the club since later he will go to Manchester City, institution to which he has already been transferred.

“I spoke to Javier (Mascherano) in private, we told each other what we had to say and we talked and somehow we reached an agreement. Well, the reality is that Claudio should have been in the national team. Didn’t I like it? And … But not only Martín Demichelis had to sell a player, other clubs also loaned players for the Preolimpico. In this case they called us a player who has experienced very strong emotions in recent months.”the coach commented about it.

In any case there was also good news from River, in the United States. Demichelis begins to consolidate a formation, the 4-3-1-2, in which the team, apart from the lack of shooting, seemed to feel at ease. The ones that stood out the most were: FrancoArmani in the arch; Matias Kranevitterwho are little by little becoming the “5” repatriates; Esequiel boat as a hitch and Miguel Borjaalways valid with the goal.

And the great news was given by the little boy Franco Mastantuono. At 16, the hitchhiker participated in the two formal friendlies and showed what he had exhibited in the Lower and Reserve teams. Elegance, cleanliness, self-confidence, luxury, character and personality. He has a very interesting left foot and is destined to become another jewel of the club..