Who is Franco Alfonso: the youth who debuted Demichelis

During his historic stage at River, due to countless casualties or technical decisions, Marcelo Gallardo made more than 40 youth debuts. On Saturday, September 24 for Talleres in the More monumentalcried two pledges from the River Plate Reserve, Joaquin Panichelli and Franco Alfonso. However, neither had minutes.

On the first date of the Binance Tournament, Martín Demichelis, who replaced Muñeco as coach of the Núñez club, gave Alfonso the opening minutes against Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero.

THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MADE GALLARDO’S DEBUT

The architecture Gallardo designed in River served to have a child-youth project capable of nurturing the First Division with quality players, with a defined style but with the ability to adapt to different tactical schemes. From ninth to reserve, the doll pays attention to everything that happens on the Ezeiza ground and knows when to choose, so that the youngest can go to the first team.

Unsurprisingly, the last rookie was Felipe Salomoni, who was called up on August 31 of this year. More than once, the Millionaire’s coach explained why he is in no rush to promote a player to the First Division, apart from emergencies such as those during the Covid outbreaks:

Every time I tried to add a young player from the Reserve it was because I understood he was ready to be called, because he was ready.”

WHO IS JOAQUÍN PANICELLI AND WHAT DOES HE PLAY FOR?

Joaquin Panichelli He is 19 years old and was born in Córdoba. At the beginning of 2020 he tried it out in Boca, but the pass from his home club Atalaya did not arrive in time. A day later he joined River. With a past as a midfielder and player, he currently plays as a striker and is a goalscorer for the Reserves with 14 goals in 55 games. In the last half he scored against all the big teams, in this tournament against Boca and San Lorenzo.

Pani has Matías Suárez and Benzema as references, and as the Cordovan striker of the First Division, he moves all along the attacking front, firing diagonally to reach the goal. One of the fears of Reserve Tournament fans is that the player is out of contract in the First Division and could leave at the end of the year.

WHO IS IT AND WHAT DOES FRANCO ALFONSO PLAY FOR?

alfonso He is 21 years old and has already signed his first contract with River in a link binding him to the club until December 2023 with a $15 million clause. “The dwarf”, as they call him, also began to play as a coach, moving from left to right until he occupied this last side of the field from the Sixth Division. His versatility and attack power are tempting to ask him to face the rival target. In Reserve he had great performances and has 11 goals in 56 matches.

Demichelis spoke about his pre-season condition after putting him on for a few minutes in a friendly against Vasco Da Gama:

“Both Alfonso and Londoño are two guys according to River’s formation and the club’s history. Later this season they will say what they are for. Franco is very vertical in one-on-one and it’s important to break rivals who are waiting for on us and I have no doubt he will be useful to us he felt confident from the first minute I see him very loose despite losing it the first time I think he showed what he is , he is a true River fanboy, with a lot of desire to succeed and with a great desire to improve. I see him every day and that he has played according to what he trains makes me happy “

January 28 will not be another day in the life of Franco Alfonso, 30 minutes into the second half against Central Córdoba, the young man from River Plate made his First Division debut. Although River already won 2-0, the newcomer proved to be on the level of the team that took the first three points in the championship.