River Plate moves: Pablo Longoria arrives to break the drought
Three years without raising a glass hurts. And in River Plate, that pain turned into action. The club announced Spaniard Pablo Longoria as the new sporting director, a move that smacks of a reboot.
Longoria is not just any name. He has been in the elite for more than a decade: Newcastle, Juventus, Valencia and Olympique de Marseille. His mission in Núñez will be to coordinate everything that breathes football: professional squad, youth teams, scouting, contracts, performance and development. All under the same strategy.
“Throughout his career, Longoria has participated in institutional reorganization processes and in the development of sports structures in high-demand clubs,” River explained in a statement.
The arrival of the Spaniard coincides with a delicate moment. River is not only dry of titles, but also missed the Copa Libertadores for the first time in more than a decade. That streak cost Marcelo Gallardo, the winningest coach in the club’s history, his job at the beginning of the year.
His replacement, Eduardo Coudet, managed to string together victories, but two weeks ago he lost in the superclásico against Boca. The coup renewed the discomfort of the fans, who question the leadership about the makeup of the squad and the hiring.
Longoria will report directly to president Stefano Di Carlo and the technical secretary, the Uruguayan Enzo Francescoli. His strong suit: knowledge of South American football to detect talents that later shine in Europe.
Can this Spaniard bring the smile back to the Monumental? The ball is in your court.
