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They lived together in Renato Cesarini’s pension in Rosario, they shared the River’s 1980 category and months ago there was a point of meeting again, this time as members of the coaching staff of the “millionaire” professional team. Javier Gandolfi and Martín Demichelis have a long history in common. To such an extent that the DT of Talleres recognizes his River Plate counterpart as “one of the few friends” that soccer gave him.

“Cobija” was one of those targeted by ‘Micho’ to join the staff who at the beginning of 2023 assumed the leadership of the first team of the Núñez club, with a very high standard in terms of demand, an inheritance from the successful era of Marcelo Gallardo. But the reunion had to wait until today.

A quick move by the albiazul president Andrés Fassi deactivated the game of the Jardín neighborhood of the former defender from Santa Fe, who in principle was going to lead the ‘T’ on an interim basis until the final of the 2022 Argentine Cup.

“Faced with the analysis of various possibilities in the country and abroad, Javier chose the Talleres Project, with the aim of sustaining national and international prominence, putting himself at the service of the club,” reported the Jardín neighborhood entity just 48 hours after the defeat before Patronato in Mendoza.

A couple of months later, at an institutional event, the leader told DT albiazul: “Maybe at some point you’re going to have to look for Martín Demichelis to be your field assistant.”

The first duel between Talleres and River Plate at the Kempes Stadium was played in 1979. The ‘T’ won 3-2,

The allusion was not accidental: exactly one year ago, after Alexander ‘Cacique’ Medina slammed the door, the boss of the ‘T’ had tried to contact the then manager of Bayern Munich’s Under-19 team to offer his first experience as DT in professional soccer.

“I was surprised by Andrés, whom I know. On two occasions they offered me to be a coach; I fill it with messages to my representative ”, replied River’s current strategy. “I get on Jorge Brito’s statements,” he added. Aware of Fassi’s sayings, Brito, the owner of River, had declared: “As a Cordoba, he is a bad joke teller.”

In the 30 official clashes that both teams registered in Córdoba, between 1969 and 2022, Talleres won 12 times, there were nine draws and River emerged victorious in nine presentations.