“As much as Boca wins five classics against River, it will not be able to erase what happened in Madrid”

Antonio Valentin Alzamendi Casas was born on June 7, 1956 in Durazno, Uruguay; but there are two dates that are as important in his life as his birthday: December 14, 1986 and July 12, 1987. Six months and 26 days separate those dates. One occurred in Tokyo, Japan; the other in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It doesn’t matter the thousands of miles away. For the ‘Hormiga’, as he was known, it is as if they had occurred in some field of his native peach. In the first he scored the most important goal in the history of River Plate to become world champion; in the other he celebrated Pablo Bengoechea’s goal with which Uruguay was proclaimed champion of America.

He was an athlete as a child, then a policeman, but in football he found immortality. He was so great that Julio Grondona himself asked him to become a nationalized Argentine. But just as he was an idol, he also had cracks to admire. One of them: Julio César Uribe, our diamond. “At the height of Rubén Paz, Ricardo Bochini, Diego Maradona, Beto Alonso”tells us in the preview of the Uruguay vs. Peru by Qatar 2022 Qualifying. Alzamendi, who directed in Peruvian soccer, also took a moment in the talk with DT Trade to comment on what the Argentine superclassic means between River Plate and Boca Juniors –they play this Sunday at the Monumental-. Who better than him to talk about those games.

—This Sunday there is a new River-Boca, how are the classics in Argentina?

In the classics you never know how it will turn out. You can come second or last, it doesn’t matter. It’s the game of the year and it means a lot to both of them. Boca takes the classics as a revenge for what happened in Madrid and they know well that they have to do something big to be able to turn that whole story around.

—There is a lot of talk that, after the final of the 2018 Libertadores, Boca is playing not to lose to River…

Boca has always had a different style of play than River. They have always been more of a counterattack and River more of an associative game. Defending is part of the game and if he does it well, he contains the opponent, that’s fine. They know they can’t play him as equals because River kills you. I have played thousands of classics and Boca many times waited for us because if they left us spaces, we could complicate them. We also had to take care of ourselves because they had unbalanced players.

—What does Boca have to do to overcome the final lost in 2018 against River?

There would have to be another Copa Libertadores final between the two. Madrid will not be erased until that happens. . There is no other story.

—How much do the classics mean and affect the players? Carlos Zambrano and Luis Advíncula could play and a key game for the Peruvian team is coming up on Thursday.

The classic must be won no matter what. If you win you are the owner, people are happy, the player is calm. It is what the fan wants and the footballer’s obligation. Even for many players who do not perform in the classics it can cost them until they leave the club. It is played a lot in the classic. Play the player, the fan and even the leader.

—This may be one of Marcelo Gallardo’s last classics as River Plate coach, what does the club hold after an era as successful as that of the ‘Muñeco’?

Passing Gallardo is not going to be easy, nor was it when Bambino Veira left. The Bambino was world champion and that is a debt that perhaps Marcelo Gallardo wants to pay off. In River there have always been stories of great coaches and replacing one who won everything is very difficult.

—River is a candidate for the Libertadores this year along with the Brazilian teams that have been dominating lately?

River is always a candidate. Today the Brazilians dominate. Their football is at a spectacular level and they have a higher hierarchy. Just compare the players who are there with those who are in Argentina or Uruguay. So it gets harder that way. River hasn’t been that far, huh. The Libertadores that lost to Flamengo in 2019, for me River should have been champion but in football goals rule. As much as you play pretty, if you don’t win, it’s no use. It only matters to win. Don’t come to me with who plays well or badly, you have to be champion, period.

—And you know about championships… what do you remember about your goal that gave River the only Intercontinental?

I remember it every day. The fans also remind me. It was the most important triumph in the history of River. There is no triumph that compares to being world champion. Then there are other sensations like the final against Boca, which is also a historic game. Winning the Libertadores is historic. But being world champion is much more important.

—In 1987 he won the Copa América with Uruguay at the very Monumental stadium, his home. Did he know before the final that he was going to lift the title?

After we beat Argentina, I felt like a champion. Knowing that Chile was in the lead. But beating Argentina, who had just become world champion, in a semi-final, with stars like Maradona or Caniggia, and knowing that Chile would later be your turn… the emotional power is impressive. We knew each other very well with Chile and we knew that at that time we were favorites.

—Is it true that Julio Grondona, former president of the AFA, asked you to become an Argentine citizen?

Yes, but I didn’t want to. It was before the 1982 World Cup, I was playing in Argentina and had played some friendlies with Uruguay. He spoke to me personally. But no, I would never have played for another team. I am Uruguayan and I always wanted to represent my country.

—Six years later he is the one who scores the winning goal against Argentina in the semifinals of a Copa América that took place precisely in Argentina. The turns of life…

Yes, it was impressive. Something I did on the field where I played, against my teammates. But hey, you always shoot for your country and I gave everything for Uruguay. Apart from the fact that he was upset about the 1986 World Cup that he hadn’t played. In the round of 16 that we lost to Argentino, I was on the bench and it seemed unfair. It left me with a feeling that they were wrong and in the Copa América it was a revenge for me.

—Is Diego Maradona the best player in history?

I saw Pelé play. But I do not know. I think everyone has their time. There was the moment of Pelé, after Maradona and today it is of Messi and Cristiano. I don’t like comparisons.

-You broke it in the 80’s, just at a time when the Peruvian team had a gold team with Chimpitaz, Cueto, Cubillas, Uribe, Oblitas… what do you remember of that team?

They were phenomena, sensational players. I always say that Peruvian soccer, after Brazilian soccer, has great technique. I think that if the Peruvian player believes it, it is a very tough team. I have had to direct in Peru and the players have responded to me. Peru today is competitive. Not in vain did he reach the final of the Copa América in 2019. You have to take your hat off to the work of Ricardo Gareca.

-Which player would stand out from that selection?

. Juan Carlos Oblitas, who was a left pointer, was also a phenomenon. Teofilo Cubillas too. There were phenomenal players in Peru.

—And coming to the present, what are Uruguay’s expectations about the match against Peru?

It’s a final. The one who wins is practically in the World Cup and the other can be complicated depending on the other results. But it is a final.

—How do you analyze Uruguay-Peru?

It will be a match in which there will be different forms of play. Uruguay has improved a lot with the ball and Peru is tactically very orderly and dangerous with players like Christian Cueva, Gianluca Lapadula or André Carrillo. Peru is a team with a lot of precision, very good triangulation, that’s why Uruguay should not allow them to own the ball.

—Does it affect Uruguay that Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani do not have continuity in their clubs?

No. They are class A players and always give them to me. I even like it better that they are a little more rested. I prefer that they have been given a break now and not like before when they always played and were mistreated.

—What awaits Peru in the Centennial in terms of the fans? Will the pressure play a separate game?

I always say that a national team player cannot feel pressure. The full Centennial is spectacular and, whether they like it or not, the grandstand is felt. But the pressure, for me, can’t be felt by anyone. The national team player who feels pressure directly cannot put on the shirt because the best usually go there. What I see is that there will be a Uruguayan with a lot of enthusiasm knowing that by winning they are practically qualifying for the World Cup and with the support of a very enthusiastic fan. As much as the stands are a bit far away, the fan feels. Although sometimes the players concentrate on the game and we don’t care about the people. The only thing we hear is when we make a goal. “Those from outside are made of wood,” said the greatest of all Uruguayans, world champion in 1950. The public does not play.

—How do you see Gareca’s Peruvian team?

Peru changed a lot with Gareca. He has personality, very interesting players, they believe in the coach. Gareca has changed the face of the national team. Now it is a team with more aggressiveness, capable of going to play equal to anyone and anywhere. Peru has the conditions to win and get a good result here. For something he reached the final of America, for something he is fighting to go to the World Cup. It’s not because it’s bad.

—Today, Christian Cueva is our most unbalanced player, do you see it the same?

Cueva means a lot to soccer in Peru, for everything he generates. I also love Carrillo and Lapadula. They have a good start on the wings, a team that triangulates very well and then there is the different one, which is Cueva.

“What do you think of Gianluca Lapadula?”

Love it! He reminds me of Paolo Guerrero too. It seems that they were Uruguayan because of how they play. You have to be very attentive because at any moment they can define a match for you. Lapadula holds up, runs, scores, covers the ball well. He is a barbaric player.