Gallardo proud of River vs Estudiantes, eyes Palmeiras clash | OneFootball

The River coach valued the victory in La Plata and spoke about the clash on Wednesday for the Copa Libertadores de América.

River Plate achieved a key victory this Saturday by defeating Estudiantes 2-1 in La Plata, for the eighth round of the 2025 Torneo Clausura, in a match they had to face with one man less after the expulsion of Lucas Martínez Quarta. In a press conference, Marcelo Gallardo highlighted the character of his players and anticipated what the quarter-final series of the Copa Libertadores against Palmeiras will be like.

The Millonario started with great authority and quickly took the lead with goals from Giuliano Galoppo and Ignacio Fernández in just seven minutes. However, the double yellow card for Martínez Quarta forced a change in the initial plan and to retreat against the reaction of the Pincha, who scored through Santiago Núñez. “I liked how the team was present even in adversity. I feel fully represented,” said Gallardo, satisfied with his team's performance.

Thinking about the cup clash, the coach tested a tactical variation with a three-defender line composed of Portillo, Rivero, and Martínez Quarta. “We tried variations according to how we believe the series with Palmeiras might unfold. I liked the team's proposal,” he explained. Regarding the match against the Brazilian team, he warned: “It will be a close series, not decided in the first match. They are also considering our potential. We will have to play with a lot of intelligence.”

Analyzing his rival, Gallardo highlighted that the Verdao is a team that “defends very well, is physically strong, and direct in attack, capable of creating danger with few touches.” He also reflected on what it means to compete in the Copa: “It's not easy to reach the semifinals, as we did last year. Many things are said, but the important thing is to compete and learn from mistakes to reduce the margin.”

With the victory at UNO, River consolidated itself as the leader of Zone B and the annual table. The team will return to training this Sunday to prepare for the first leg against Palmeiras, which will be played on Wednesday at 9:30 PM at the Monumental. Then they will visit Atlético Tucumán for the Clausura and will close the tie on Wednesday, September 24 at the .

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