The tear suffered in the breastplate of his left leg against Defense and Justice in Chaco for the Argentine Cup had set off the alarm in River. But as the days went by, calm came. Franco Armani is better off with his injury and will most likely be at the Bombonera on Sunday to defend the “Millionaire” arch.

In River they feel it as a relief. Not because they don’t trust Ezequiel Centurión, who replaced Armani both in the second half of the victory over Defense and Justice and in Sunday’s victory over Barracas Central, but because they know of the influence that the man from Casildense has on everything in the Superclasicos , that He played 12, of which 5 won, 5 drew and 2 lost.

Armani debuted in a River-Boca in a final, nothing less. It was March 14, 2018, in Mendoza, for the Argentine Super Cup. And in what was only his eighth game with the River Plate diver, he began writing his own separate story against Xeneize. the river won 2-0 that match at Malvinas Argentinas for goals from Pity Martínez and Nacho Scocco, but above all thanks to the saves of the former Atlético Nacional, who he was the great figure of the night (Clarín rated him with 9 points) and won his first title with Gallardo’s team.

Six months later, Armani was once again important (he had a score of 7 for Clarín) for another 2-0 for the Millionaire over Boca, this time in La Bombonera and for the sixth day of Superliga. He had decisive saves to keep the fence clean.

But the best for the goalkeeper and for the whole River was yet to come. In November, always as a guest, but now in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores 2018, Armani starred in the save remembered at the last minute against Darío Benedetto to keep the 2-2 tie. And so he went from transforming a weak game of his, since he was responsible for the first Boca goal, in the memory of a memorable play that will be recorded forever and that has even become a tableau.

And in Madrid, in the historic decisive match of the Copa Libertadores final, Armani made an exceptional performance (Clarín scored it with 7) to be one of the pillars that contributed to the glory of Marcelo Gallardo’s team at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Until the 0-1 at the Monumental on 20 March 2022, the only defeat in regulation time against Boca was in the semifinal revenge match of the Libertadores 2019; in La Bombonera the club won by the minimum, but it was not enough to eliminate River, who qualified for a new final thanks to the victory obtained at the Monumental. With this year there are two falls.

However, the series without eliminations against Xeneize that Armani held (he had not been able to participate in the crossover for the Professional League Cup due to the coronavirus) was interrupted in the Superclásico played in August 2021 in La Plata, for the round of 16 of the Cup. Argentina: after the draw without a goal, on penalties the Santa Fe could do nothing to prevent the fall of Gallardo’s men.

Ahead of Sunday’s match, Armani is already much better off with his injury. Gallardo was optimistic on Sunday, saying that “I think Franco will have no problem arriving“. The “Millionaire” goalkeeper’s week started with jogging and light work, but in the last training session he has already incorporated a specific goalkeeper job along with Ezequiel Centurión and Franco Petroli. In this way, if he continues like this, on Sunday he will have no problem being at La Bombonera.

Armani’s presence is reinforced by another crucial fact: in 12 Superclásicos scored 9 goals, that is less than one (0.75) per game, so with him under three sticks there can be guarantees for River to keep the door to zero. Moreover, given his personality, in every match against Boca he has shown that he is a goalkeeper made for this kind of games.