Guillermo on River’s woes before Vélez: “They’ll sort it out” | OneFootball

This Sunday, starting at 7:15 PM at the José Amalfitani, Vélez and River will star in one of the most notable matches of round 6 of the Torneo Apertura. In the pre-match press conference, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, a Boca idol, was asked about the football crisis River (the Millonario) is going through and expressed confidence that they will overcome it thanks to the personality of their players.

Despite the natural rivalry with a figure from the opposing side—made even more intense by the fact that he was the coach in the painful 2018 Copa Libertadores final—Guillermo has always shown great respect for the Núñez club, especially since becoming a coach.

This afternoon was no exception, and when asked if it was an advantage for Vélez that River was arriving at a low point, he replied: “No, because I think they are players, beyond their football hierarchy, who have gone through very important moments in their careers. River is always playing for tournament titles, and the possibility of winning or losing a significant place, so they are used to this kind of situation.”

He added: “Perhaps they are not used to having lost two matches or what’s happening with the coach, but they are used to being in high-pressure situations. I think they’ll know how to handle it emotionally, I have no doubt about that. Now, in football terms, we’ll have to see if we let them.”

Even though they stopped the bleeding with their 1-0 victory over Ciudad de Bolívar in the round of 32 of the Copa Argentina, the Millonario is going through a football crisis that has lasted since the end of 2025. Although the first matches of the year were good and the team had shown a different side, the heavy defeat against Tigre and the subsequent loss to Argentinos once again put Marcelo Gallardo on the ropes.

Since the Madrid final, Guillermo has faced Gallardo’s River twice. On May 5 of last year, in the Torneo Apertura, his Vélez lost 4-1 at the Monumental. On November 15, at the José Amalfitani and in the last round of the regular phase of the Clausura, they drew 0-0. That result left the Millonario on the ropes, who later lost all chance of qualifying for the Copa Libertadores.

As Boca’s coach, he faced this rival and coach more than any other, and his record is negative: out of nine matches, he won two, drew three, and lost four. He also suffered defeat in two finals that were very painful for Boca fans: the 2018 Supercopa Argentina and that year’s Libertadores. While coaching Lanús, he faced the Núñez side eight times, with a record of two wins, three draws, and two losses.

Guillermo’s last victory against River dates back to November 5, 2017, when he won 2-1 at the Monumental in the 2017/18 Superliga with goals from Edwin Cardona and Nahitan Nández. Since then, six matches without a win. Will he be able to break the streak this Sunday against a Gallardo team that’s on a downward slide?

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.