Demichelis, from Gallardo’s replacement to “representing the feeling of the River fan”

The 42-year-old coach accepted the proposal he received from the “Millionaire” leadership at the end of 2022, after Gallardo decided to end the most brilliant cycle in River history (14 titles) after eight and a half seasons.

With no background as a technical director in Argentina, Demichelis took his first steps as a coach in Malaga, where he retired in mid-2017, and two years later he took over as manager of the Bayern Munich Under 19 team. In 2022 he obtained the UEFA Pro coaching license.

“This team represented the sentiment of the River fan. I have no doubts about that”said the Cordovan, brand new champion and who exhibited enormous emotion.

For four years, Demichelis trained in the Bavarian club’s formative divisions, but the challenge was to return to River, a club he had joined in 2000 as a youth defender and where he made his first division debut in September 2001.

In that time with Núñez’s team, Demichelis played in 52 games, although what is most remembered was a classic against Racing that River won (2-0) and in which the defender saved during the last minutes due to the expulsion of the goalkeeper , with a decisive performance to obtain the Clausura 2002 tournament title.

Just as he traveled from Germany to Argentina at the end of 2022, he had done the reverse path 19 years earlier and became a starter for the Bavarian team. During his time with the German team, he totaled 259 games and 15 goals scored, while celebrating 10 titles. The total won 15 as a footballer (three in River) and today he achieved the first as DT. He is the seventh in “millionaire” history to have managed to win on and off the field.

“Replacing a hero like Marcelo (Gallardo) is a very big responsibility. I have to thank everyone who trusted me, who had not been in the country for 20 years”expressed Demichelis, in statements to ESPN, referring to his work as DT but in the German Bayern Munich.

He was also part of the Argentine National Team for several seasons, with which he played in two World Cups, including the quarterfinals in South Africa 2010 and the runner-up in Brazil 2014.

“My family speaks several languages, but at home only one is spoken: the River Plate language,” he said upon his return to Buenos Aires, referring to the identification of his affections with the Millionaire club, including his son Bastian who plays in the divisions river training.

For his landing in Núñez, he relied on two former teammates, the former goalkeeper German Lux and the recently retired defender javier pinola. He imposed a demanding work method with the certainty of having a team that can play at an intense pace for as long as possible.

River maintains the ambitious and offensive vocation of Gallardo’s teams. Demichelis is also attentive to details and in the analysis of rivals. In these first months as a driver, Demichelis’s River had just a couple of setbacks at the beginning.

But, he became intractable once he managed to consolidate his playing physiognomy in the Professional League that he won with two dates left to play, in addition to signing with some suffering the ticket to the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores.

There were also references from the coach to the “millionaire” public, of whom he said that they “provided support to the boys in all circumstances” and an intern, dedicating the title to their parents, both deceased.

“My mom was my number 1 fan and she missed a lot about me as a player and coach. One day before leaving, my dad told me ‘I know you are going to be a great coach and I hope I can accompany you.’ Today I don’t have them but I know that they support me from somewhere”he said, with tears in his eyes.

Demichelis concluded that the conquest is “of the entire River World, not only of those who filled the Monumental stadium. He is also one of the fans who go out to celebrate anywhere in the country ”.