Lautaro Martinez hails River Plate’s style of play

Lautaro Martinez praised Argentine club like River Plate after his side defeated them in the last matchday of the group stage.

The Inter Milan striker, who failed to score in the ‘Nerazzurri’ win, celebrated the reunion and praised Marcelo Gallardo’s side.

Inter Milan and Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez said on Wednesday, after the 2-0 win over River Plate in the Club World Cup, that the match was special for “facing an Argentine team” but that this time it was the Nerazzurri’s turn to go through.

“I want to congratulate them for the work they are doing, I’ve known Marcos (Acuna) for 10 years (…) there are teammates from the national team that we obviously have friendship, we have a relationship… It’s a very special match to play against all of them, to play against an Argentine team,” said the ‘Toro’ in an interview in the mixed zone after the match that closed Group E and gave the Italians a place in the round of 16.

Inter beat River Plate 2-0 to win Group E with seven points in a match in which the Argentinians were reduced to nine men by two red cards.

Francesco Pio Esposito in the 72nd minute and Alessandro Bastoni in the 93rd minute gave the victory to the team coached by Romanian Cristian Chivu, in a match in which River Plate goalkeeper Franco Armani denied several chances.

Likewise, Martinez considered that despite the closeness with River’s players they took the match with the utmost seriousness, “because this is football, this is a privileged competition and today it was our turn to go through but I always want to stress that I like their game and how they face the matches”.

In the other match, Monterrey, the other Group E qualifiers, thrashed Urawa Red Diamonds 4-0. Inter Milan will face Fluminense in the last 16, while Monterrey will meet Borussia Dortmund.