Otamendi says leaving Benfica was an easy decision | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi has already explained the reasons that led him to leave Benfica and return to Argentina. The centre-back, whose contract with the Eagles expired at the end of last season, was recently officially announced as a new River Plate signing, putting pen to paper on an 18-month deal with the Buenos Aires club. At 38, the Argentina international is preparing to bring a long spell in European football to an end, having competed there for 16 consecutive seasons.

After the friendly match between Argentina and Iceland, played in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Otamendi spoke to journalists and addressed his decision to join River Plate. The former Benfica captain admitted the choice was simple, highlighting the role played by coach Eduardo Coudet in the negotiations.

"As everyone knows, I am a River Plate fan. The decision was easy, obviously. In my case, the coach was available to call me as soon as he took charge and, just two weeks later, he convinced me," he said, in comments quoted by newspaper Olé.

Otamendi also stressed the importance of the confidence shown by the Argentine coach during the talks leading up to the transfer: "He supported me, and it is always good when the coach calls you and tells you he wants you at the club. I had absolutely no doubts about returning to Argentina," he added.

The move to River Plate marks Otamendi’s definitive return to Argentine football, after a career full of experiences in the Old Continent. His first adventure outside Argentina came in the 2010/11 season, when he left Vélez Sarsfield to join FC Porto. He stayed with the Dragons for three and a half seasons, beginning a European journey that also took him to Spain, England and Portugal, before ending at Benfica.

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