Months ago they insulted themselves in full tie. Today, Otamendi did not hesitate to defend Ríos after a hard fault in Benfica.
Photo: EFE – Antonio Pedro Santos
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Football has a short memory, but does not forget. Just a few months ago, Nicolás Otamendi and Richard Ríos starred in one of the most spicy crosses of the South American qualifiers. At the closure of the match between Argentina and Colombia, the two launched sharp phrases, without a filter or diplomacy: Otamendi released an ironic “Take the Vinchita, Bobo”, and Ríos responded with heavy ammunition: “You are old, it does not give you even to run.”
The crossing went viral and was floating as a symbol of the tension between selections. But fate is an unexpected expert. Benfica signed Ríos, and thus, the Colombian went from being a rival provocative to the costume of the Argentine captain. Many expected tension, distance or at least a cold professional coexistence. But the reality was another.
From the first training in Lisbon, Otamendi took the first step. Without grudges, he received it with the same intensity with which he plays: frontal, but without folds. The gestures spoke for themselves. Ríos joined the squad, and soon both shared a court in a friendly against Fenerbahce at the Da Luz stadium.
There was the scene that nobody expected. Sofyan Amrabat lowered rivers in the first minutes of the second half. And it was Otamendi – the same as months ago he shouted at his face – who ran without hesitation to face the Moroccan. A tumult was armed, there were shoves, screams, and the Argentine had to be contained by a rival. But the message was already clear: what happened to the selection shirt was behind. In Benfica, Ríos is one of his.
There is no stronger gesture in football than defending a partner. Otamendi understood and acted accordingly. What was previously a hot rivalry is now part of the anecdote. On the court, they send other rules. And in Benfica, Otamendi showed that he knows when to leave the past behind.
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