Martín Galmarini and Happiness three years ago in Kempes in Córdoba. Photo: Rolando Andrade Stracuzzi
Since June 2, 2019, when he became the champion of a competition in the AFA major division for the first time in its history, 1080 days have passed. And from that conquest against Boca in Córdoba, only four players remain. The only ones on the squad who know what it feels like to take an Olympic lap with a Matador shirt and nothing less than against Boca: Sebastián Prediger, Gonzalo Marinelli, Lucas Menossi and Martín Galmarini. All four they want Deja. Vu Next week.
Since then, Tigre has played 89 games, 62 in the First National, 16 in the First Division, 6 in the Libertadores, 4 in the Argentine Cup and 1 in the Champions Trophy. One of the four was in almost every game: Prediger, with 83. The other left and came back: Menossi, after passing through San Lorenzo. One has to give up ownership for a while: Marinelli rises. And one is always there even when he doesn’t play much: Galmarini.
“Hopefully we can give people another joy,” Prediger Dog said after qualifying for the final. He added: “It’s wonderful. They’ll remember it for the rest of their lives. I don’t know what to say. Boca is a very tough rival but we also want the glory. I had to experience it in 2019, but now it will be more ”.
Sebastián Prediger, with his children, in Córdoba, after beating Boca in the final in 2019. Photo: Fernando de la Orden.
Prediger is the soul of the team. Captain and captain of the middle. There was a moment of uncertainty after Florentín’s foul. Pain steering wheel movements speak well. It is not known if he can continue playing in the second half. And he did, on the same level as in the first stage. He has always been there since the descent and the ensuing Super League Cup celebration. Of the 889 games Tiger has played since then, Dog has played 83; in addition to scoring three goals.
Crespo, who is 35 years old and his contract will end next June, came to the club in 2018. He previously played for 10 other clubs: Colón, Millonarios, Porto, Boca, Cruzeiro, Baniyas, Estudiantes, Belgrano, Newell’s and San Martin of Tucuman. Despite so much travel, he only won the Tiger, the Super League Cup and the First National, in addition to climbing with the saint from Tucuman.
“In the last final, people blew up Córdoba. So I have no doubt that this time the stadium will also be full ”, said Gonzalo Marinelli after reaching the final. The goalkeeper was also a starter almost three years ago in Córdoba. He stayed at the club to try to come back and in February 2021 he broke his right tibia in a match against Alvarado de Mar del Plata for the Argentine Cup. He resigned the title before Felipe Zenobio and Manuel Roffo, but he came back and in the promotion picture, before Barracas Central, he was. In total, 59 games out of 89 played by Tigre after the festival in Córdoba.
Gonzalo Marinelli imposed his presence at the Kempes stadium against Boca in 2019. Photo: Fernando de la Orden.
Lucas Menossi did not remain at the club after relegation and the title. Tigre sold him to San Lorenzo for $ 2,700,000 and the player signed a contract until June 2023. However, after a season, without a place on Dabove’s team and a loan from Ciclón with Matador, the player returned to Tiger in March 2021, on loan until December.
In January 2022 he had to return to San Lorenzo, but because the club also owed him money, he was released. So, he signed another year with the Tigers, until December 2022. Since his return, Menossi has played 56 games and in this tournament he only started 2 of the 11 games he played. Instead, in 2019, he started with 8 of the 9 games he played.
Lucas Menossi, at festivals already in Victoria, in 2019. Photo: Rolando Andrade Stracuzzi.
The fourth person is the player with the most appearances in history: 391 and the only person to have played a game over 40 years old. Martín Galmarini is a symbol of the Matador, he is Super League Cup champion, participated in two promotions and three runner-ups, including the 2012 Sudamericana. He barely played in the two games in the 9 that allowed the Tigers to be crowned champion in 2019. That day, at Kempes de Córdoba, he was on the substitute bench. Since then, he has only played 27 games, 3 in the current Cup. Undoubtedly, he will have a reserve spot on Sunday along with 23 who will sign the official list. Will it say goodbye?
The truth is the four will find themselves closing a perfect circle in less than three years: title, promotion and new title. It will be unforgettable.
Source: Clarin
