The roar of the crowd at Estadio Monumental couldn’t stop Palmeiras. They snatched a crucial 2-1 victory over River Plate. This was the first leg of their Copa Libertadores quarterfinal match. Coach Abel Ferreira was certainly pleased with the result. But he quickly reminded everyone that the job is far from done. He urged his team and fans to remain careful.
“It’s an important victory, no doubt,” Ferreira shared after the intense game. “But remember, it doesn’t end tonight. We still have to play on our home field.” He knows the pressure well. “At Palmeiras, time moves fast, and patience wears thin. Still, we’re putting in good work.” He made it clear his team always plays for the win. “Today was a tough battle in an amazing stadium.”
Ferreira faced questions about his starting lineup. He explained his thought process. “We’ve been putting in a lot of effort lately. We’ve brought in new players and made some changes.” He highlighted his long journey to become a coach. “It took me eight years to finish my coaching course. My role is to make the choices. So, I picked who started and who waited on the bench.”
The conversation turned to the opposing coach, Marcelo Gallardo. Ferreira had beaten him before, a 3-0 win in 2021 at Estadio de Independiente de Avellaneda. But Abel spoke with deep respect. “Our focus was always on what we could do as a team.” He shared his long-standing admiration for Gallardo. “I’ve looked up to this coach for a long time. I even heard about him when I was playing in Sporting’s junior teams. I remember a final that was played at the Bernabéu.” He called Gallardo one of the best coaches in South America. “My days as a player are behind me. I don’t play against anyone. I have huge respect for him and all his achievements. I don’t forget things easily.”
Marcelo Gallardo, River Plate’s coach, didn’t shy away from the truth. He openly admitted Palmeiras was the better side early on. “There’s nothing wrong with admitting when an opponent plays better. They truly did in the first thirty minutes.” Despite the setback, Gallardo found a silver lining. “The goal we scored keeps our hopes alive.” He also noted a shift in the second half. “Palmeiras showed us respect in the second half.” Gallardo stressed his team’s spirit. “We are still in this. We need to fix the mistakes from the start of the game.” He concluded with a defiant message. “We’ve faced tough spots before. Now, we must write a whole new story.”