From the substitute albo to the gift of Marcelo Gallardo: the rematch that Paulo Díaz will play against Colo Colo, the only club in which he could not shine

When Paulo Díaz is announced by the speakers of the Monumental stadium in the formation of River Plate, he will probably receive timid applause, which will come from his relatives, who will accompany him in the meeting and from more than one fan who wants to recognize his contribution to the national team. Few, very few, will remember that almost seven years ago, the central defender, who became a pillar of the defense of Marcelo Gallardo’s team, the most committed on his arrival, wore the Colo Colo jersey, after having had a promising campaign with Palestino, the club that trained him and in which, at the hands of Pablo Guede, he became a figure. The future will unite him later with the Transandean coach, in San Lorenzo de Almagro, but this meeting is not part of this story.

On May 25, 2015, Díaz signed the contract that would bind him to the Cacique. This time, smiling, he was photographed with the president of Blanco y Negro, Aníbal Mosa . He did it with the natural illusion of someone who, barely 21 years old, managed to reach the biggest team in the country and with an important approval: the football media spoke of him with total appropriation. The previous season, with the Arab jersey, he had established himself as one of the best central defenders in the country. Knowing the environment and the demands made him think he would experience a rapid transition to the differences that defending the Whites entails. However, the experience was far from positive.

“Guess Sierra will want me to pair centre-backs with (Julio) Barroso ”, said Díaz, convinced that he would have the opportunities to stand out and demonstrate the conditions he had shown in the La Cisterna team. However, reality hit him hard. Injuries were one of the main reasons he couldn’t stand out at Macul. In July, when he was preparing to make his debut and he was even certain that he was going to do it against Huachipato, a sprained knee left him on his hunger. A few months later, in September, the scenario would repeat itself, even if the joint would change: sprained ankle and still waiting.

On the bench of the Cacique was José Luis Sierra. Strictly speaking, it was not the Coto who had been dazzled by his terms or who had asked for his signature. The feel and the procedure matched his predecessor, Héctor Tapia, who was convinced that Díaz was a player with big conditions and unlimited projection. . It was Tito who put on Blanco y Negro’s table the specific request that the son of Ítalo Díaz, once a national team player, come to join the team.

With Sierra, the relationship was strictly professional. And the opportunities are rare. The Count records that in his passage through the auroras, Díaz has only played six games, two for the national championship and four for the Chilean Cup, and he has only been on the pitch for 362 minutes. very far from the expectations that his signature had aroused.

Díaz returns to Macul as a consolidated player. After his opaque passage through Colo Colo, he jumped to Argentina to become a figure in San Lorenzo, where he again coincided with Pablo Guede, the technician who blew him up. This transfer was not without controversy, as it generated a subsequent dispute that the CAS ended up resolving in favor of the Transandeans. By then he was already a highly regarded player, whose name was linked with major European clubs and millionaire personalities. Eventually, he ends up in Al-Ahli, Saudi Arabia, where he reunites with Guede, although the most important thing is that his future is pretty much assured: the Asians paid San Lorenzo $7 million for his record and, on top of that, they guaranteed him a millionaire’s salary and the extra royalties that players who stand out on this side of the world usually receive .

In Al-Ahli, naturally, he became a key player. For the league, for example, he played 24 games and was a starter in 23 of them. He also added appearances in the local cup and the AFC Champions League, in addition to the Arab Champions League.

However, due to his projection, Díaz needed a higher level of competition. Thus, at the express request of Marcelo Gallardo, River Plate, the Chilean defender becomes the only reinforcement of the 2019 season . The millionaires paid $4.5 million for 70% of their economic rights and they granted the doll’s wish. The investment has not been distorted. While it seems unlikely that Diaz will leave Nunez any time soon, his passing valuation remains intact. For reference, the Transfermarkt site, a valid parameter in the analysis of the football market, sets its expertise at US$7,460,000, which sums up its international valuation .