Daniel, meet Juan, your new team-mate...
Don’t be surprised to hear about training ground bust-ups at Independiente before long. Juan Krupoviesa is on the point of signing on loan for El Rojo, and when he arrives at the training complex he’ll meet up with new team-mate Daniel Montenegro; a man whose leg he tried to break when the two were on opposite sides of a superclásico in 2006. Meanwhile, River Plate waster striker Sebastián Abreu looks like he’s going to Spain. And not on holiday, either – a club there actually want to sign him. And pay him money.
Krupoviesa was sent off for ‘tackling’ Montenegro (pictured above) during the 2006 Clausura whilst the new signing was playing for Boca and Montenegro was representing River. Now, the full back, who hails originally from Tucumán, is new Independiente boss Pepe Santoro’s first signing, and will be hoping Rolfi‘s not a man who bears a grudge. Independiente have signed him on a one-year loan deal from Boca, for a fee of US$150,000.
Abreu, in the meantime, didn’t travel with the rest of the River Plate squad who flew to Mendoza for pre-season training on Thursday. He’s not signed a contract extension with the Núñez side yet and, although he was talking with them, has received an offer from Spanish second division side Real Sociedad which he may not be able to refuse. Real are prepared to offer him decent money to shank easy chances over the crossbar for them for the rest of this season, and thus the Uruguayan may be about to join the fourteenth club of a well-travelled career.
That story leaves the door open to Cristian Fabbiani, who River were interested in not long ago and who’s still in conflict with the new board at Newell’s Old Boys. El Ogro was owed money by the club, who’ve now paid off their debt to him, but he’s still determined not to play for La Lepra again. Néstor Gorosito, who for some reason (surely he didn’t think he’d have any option) had Abreu in his first-team plans, will have to re-evaluate in time for the Clausura.
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PHAH! Fabbiani’s real grudge should be with the Rat who fled after loosing an election. As far as I’m concerned, let him go and play with the sin aliento, just get him gone I’m tired of hearing about him.
Krupo !! Say it ain’t so ! I was waiting to see Krupo’s cartoon dog face on the pitch all of the Apertura. Oh well, I guess this means Morel Rodriguez is not leaving.
Forget about Fabbiani and Krupoviesa! The latest rumour?
Ortega to Racing!
I for one, say “NO. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BUT NO!”
I want Ortega back at River. He’s still a semi-genius.
Justin, I don’t deny Ortega’s class and talent. He’ll probably be useful for River, where he has a history and a great relationship with the majority of the fans.
I’m saying no to him because he can disrupt things in our dressing room and he can fail to make the Racing supporters to love him.
Can you imagine a frustrated Ortega turning up for practice after he had a bad game? I can’t.
Say what you want about Abreu, but I’d rather have him than Salcedo. At least Abreu is oddly clutch in international tournaments.
I understand Seba, and I agree with you. I don’t think burrito would be a good fit at Racing.
And I agree with Nolan too. Of course Abreu has been a terrible failure in a River shirt, but I have an odd affection for him. He doesn’t moan or complain and you can’t fault his effort. His height is useless since River rarely put in decent crosses. Salcedo is at least as useless, if not more so.
Sam,
Perhaps you’re being a bit hard on Abreu. (But in the past you have been hard on Riquelme and Veron, this is why we respect you, a hard man… to please, I mean.)
Loco Abreu has scored wherever he’s gone and will score wherever he goes. He has always been a presence in the box, and a team player who gets involved. (This past season at River was a black hole. Abreu, Simeone, Buonanotte–who wasn’t better than he showed?)
However, Sociedad would be a sad destination for Loco. Another black hole. (The Leeds of La Liga?)