Gaby Milito and Mineiro, in the final of the Libertadores

Close your fists Gabriel Milito. His players threw water at him, hugged him. He Atlético Mineiro is a finalist for Libertadores Cup. He achieved this right in the Monumental of Buenos Aires and before the giant river of the legendary Marcelo Gallardo, in a series that was rounded out with 3-0 aggregate, with pure force in the first leg thanks to Deyverson and Hulk, with pure solidity and durability in the rematch with the strength of his goalkeeper who Everson and his markers center backs Lyanco, Rodrigo Battaglia and Junior Alonso.

The man who was part of the greatest FC Barcelona with 10 titles in 4 seasons wants to be the king of America with Atlético Mineiro. Since arriving at the French club from Belo Horizonte on March 27, Milito has already won a tournament and was a finalist not only for the Libertadores but also for the Brazilian Cup (he will face Flamengo). Gaby shows her class as a coach…

Gaby Milito won the planning duel against Gallardo in two games. River has paid dearly for the lack of elaboration, change of pace and power it has long suffered from. There is a reason why it is so difficult for him to develop, win and score goals. After the dismissal of Martín Demichelis, there was no ‘Doll Effect’ in the Cup, even with the four brilliant additions he requested.

At 0-3 in the first leg, it seemed impossible given that difference and the current nature for River to turn it around. However, the millionaires chose to believe by setting up a huge banner the day before and a reception for memory at the entrance of the team, as if wanting to evoke a unique spiritual response, capable of hiding those football problem When it came time to play, in the first half, River had no clarity, did not show ideas to attack and only approached strategies.

Gallardo appealed to three forwards, with Pablo Solari, Miguel Borja and Facundo Colidio, supported from the midfield by Matías Kranevitter, Santiago Simón and Maximiliano Meza. The experienced Nacho Fernández was left behind, who was not even on the bench. The Doll chooses to look for freshness and depth, but there is none of that.

Atlético Mineiro covered the gaps well, there was always another man in each sector to not panic and think about the counterattack with Hulk, Deyverson and Paulinho. He had the clearest shot of the first half: Kranevitter gave it away and Deyverson raced alone towards the goal, but lost the one-on-one to Franco Armani. And at the start of the second half, Gustavo Scarpa rattled the crossbar and Armani beat Deyverson again.

As if accepting the error in the initial formation, Gallardo changed the entire midfield with just half an hour left and sent Rodrigo Villagra, Franco Mastantuono and Claudio Echeverri onto the field. Diablito immediately developed a face-to-face, but he was left with no angle for a shot and the goalkeeper let him down. Then, Pity Martínez and Adam Bareiro came on for Colidio and Borja.

With Echeverri and Pity Martínez there was more spontaneity at River, but it was not enough to break the solidity of the Brazilians. And the former FC Barcelona man celebrated it at the Monumental. Gaby Milito and his Atlético Mineiro, finalists of the Libertadores. On November 30 they will return to the Monumental dream of lifting the Cup.

TECHNICAL SHEET

0 – River Plate: Franco Armani Fabricio Bustos, Germán Pezzella, Paulo Díaz, Marcos Acuña; Matías Kranevitter (d. 57, Rodrigo Villagra), Santiago Simón (d. 57, Franco Mastantuono), Maximiliano Meza; Pablo Solari (m.57, Claudio Echeverri), Facundo Colidio (m.63, Gonzalo Martínez) and Miguel Borja (m.63, Adam Bareiro).
Instructor: Marcelo Gallardo.
0 – Atlético Mineiro: Everson; Gustavo Scarpa, Lyanco (m.45, Renzo Saravia), Rodrigo Battaglia, Júnior Alonso, Guilherme Arana (m.83, Eduardo Vargas); Alan Franco, Fausto Vera; Paulinho (m.72, Otávio), Hulk and Deyverson (m.62, Rubens).
Coach: Gabriel Milito.
Referee: Colombian Wilmar Roldán advised Lyanco and Everson.
Incidents: the second leg of the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores was played at the Estadio Más Monumental, in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina.