Domínguez, Gallardo’s bogeyman: what’s at stake vs Estudiantes | OneFootball

The Millionaire will visit UNO to face the Pincha, led by Eduardo Domínguez, a coach who has a positive record against the Muñeco.

Just a few days before the first leg against Palmeiras in the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, River is preparing for its next challenge in the Clausura Tournament. This Saturday, at 7 PM, they will visit Estudiantes at UNO for the eighth round. Beyond the importance of this match to build confidence ahead of the cup clash, the game will have a special ingredient: Marcelo Gallardo will face Eduardo Domínguez, one of the few coaches who hold a positive record in their encounters against him.

The precise statistic shows that the Pincha’s coach, in the eleven occasions he has faced the Muñeco, has achieved four wins, four draws, and three losses. The first of those victories was special since, while in charge of Huracán, Carlos Bianchi’s son-in-law eliminated the River Plate side from the 2015 Copa Sudamericana with an aggregate score of 2-1, thanks to a 1-1 draw in Parque Patricios and a 1-0 win at the Monumental.

Later, as Colón’s coach, Domínguez frustrated him again both in Santa Fe and at the Monumental. In 2018, he beat him by the minimum with a goal from Gonzalo Bueno, while in 2021 he won 2-1 with a goal from Rodrigo Aliendro, who would cross over to the red band a year later.

Gallardo had to wait until their seventh encounter to take all three points. Specifically in 2021, with goals from Lucas Beltrán, Fabrizio Angileri, and Gonzalo Montiel, the Millionaire won 3-2 against Colón. Then, at the end of that year in the Trofeo de Campeones, a brace from Julián Álvarez, one from Jorge Carrascal, and another from Benjamín Rollheiser sealed a 4-0 that helped even up the record a bit.

After the Muñeco went to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia and returned in August of last year, and with Domínguez settled at Estudiantes since early 2023, both coaches met again at the end of 2024. On that occasion, River won 2-1 at UNO, a match remembered for the memorable performance of Franco Armani, who saved a penalty from Guido Carrillo.

Already in 2025, the record tilted back in favor of the Pincha’s coach. In fact, Estudiantes is the only Argentine team that has managed to beat River in 90 minutes so far this year. At the beginning of March, Domínguez’s team defeated the Millionaire 2-0 at the Monumental, with goals from Alexis Castro and Santiago Ascacíbar.

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