The world of River Plate is experiencing hours of deep pain after learning the news of the death of Alfredo Davicce, one of the most successful and remembered presidents in the club’s history.The man who led the entity from 1989 to 1997, and who won the Copa Libertadores in 1996, was 96 years old.
“We regret the death of Alfredo Davicce, who was President of River between 1989 and 1997, a period in which the Club won 9 titles. We accompany his family and loved ones in these moments of pain and sadness,” River Plate confirmed the news on their social networks.
Just a few years ago, Davicce starred in a historic day with former presidents “champions of America” at the helm of River Plate along with HugoSantilli (1986) and Rodolfo D’Onofrio (2015 and 2018).”I was able to see La Maquina, (Carlos) Peucelle, Adolfo Pedernera, Chaplin (Félix Loustau). I enjoyed all that time. I even met Bernabé (Ferreyra)! I played paddle ball on River’s field and he took care of the field at that time. As well as Walter Gómez, who people said: ‘People no longer eat to see Walter Gómez’. All of that was aexperience of years,” he recalled at that event that took place at the Monumental Stadium.
“With the inferiors, we achieve that the inferiors grow and are permanently nourished by great values such as Aimar, Saviola, Ortega… Countless”, he reviewed the merits of his extensive management.“All these memories add up to this permanent gateway that is our football, and today we luckily have the glory of seeing a Gallardo, also emerging from those stages that I just mentioned, no longer as a player, but as a coach, achieving achievements that are much more than we expected at the beginning,” he reflected.
Although his extensive management was marked by winning the 1996 CopaLibertadores, Davicce led the club in other memorable feats such as the 1997 Super Cup and seven other crowns at the local level with names in the squads of the likes of Javier Saviola, Pablo Aimar, Juan Pablo Ángel, ArielOrtega, Marcelo Gallardo, Enzo Francescoli or Marcelo Salas, just to review some figures.
His name was associated with different milestones in the club, but without a doubt that June 26, 1996, in which the Millonario led by Ramón Díaz defeated América de Cali with a double from Hernán Crespo to achieve Libertadores, was forever marked.
“The specific part of our Copa Libertadores, we have a coach who was exceptional for River: Ramón Díaz. With him, at first with players like Amato and Cedrés at the beginning of the dispute, and later adding Burgos in goal, who at the same time was permanent fun with his guitar and his singing. We had Hernán Díaz, Ortega, Gallardo… All of those formed the great team with which we won the Cup. It seemed simple at first,But when we achieved it, it was truly explosive.We couldn’t stop dreaming about it and hoping it would be repeated,” he reflected on this title at that event he experienced at the Monumental four years ago.
Davicce reached the main seat of the Núñez club in 1989 (and remained until 1997, after winning re-election at the end of 1993. In 1997, who was his vice president in the two previous periods, David Pintado, presented himself as a presidential candidate and Davicce accompanied him in the role of Vice.
In 2005, Alfredo once again ran in the entity’s elections as the main candidate in opposition to the administration of José María Aguilar, but came in second place with more than 1,300 votes against the almost 4,000 votes obtained by the president at the time.
Linked to the club since his childhood and becoming a respected figure until his last days, Davicce left his name written in one of the most virtuous moments of the entity that combined titles, figures and the appearance of some of the main stars that Núñez’s youth teams produced.
The first crown of his management came with the local tournament of the 1989/1990 season.During the first days of 1990, Davicce began his formal management with the arrival of Daniel Passarella to the club’s substitute bench and with NegroAstrada, Chapa Zapata, Polillita Da Silva and Ramón Medina Bello on the field. Mencho was precisely in charge of scoring the two goals that in May 1990 decreed the coronation at the Monumental.
Along with the Apertura 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997, during his management the Clausura 1997 and the Super Cup of 1997 were also held. This international tournament that was then played by all the champion teams of the Libertadores found the Millonario lifting the trophy at the end of that year with a 2-1 victory, with a double by Matador Salas, over San Pablo inthe final return after a 0-0 draw in the first leg.
The Núñez entity released a statement on its official site to confirm the news: “The River Plate Atlético Club, through its Honorable Board of Directors, regrets the death of the person who was President of the Institution in the period 1989-1997, Vice President in 1997-2001 and also a Regular Member in 1979-1983. During Davicce’s successful management, the Club won nine titles, among themwhich highlights the 1996 Copa Libertadores, the 1997 Super Cup and the 96-97 three-time championship.In September 2021, Davicce participated in a moving tribute that the Club organized with the champion presidents of America, in which he shared the recognition with Hugo Santilli and Rodolfo D’Onofrio. River Plate accompanies his family and loved ones in these moments of pain and sadness.
“I regret the death of Alfredo Davicce, president of the Club between 1989 and 1997. Alfredo assumed the presidency after winning the elections against my grandfather, Titi. During his period at the head of River, the Club went through a stage that included winning 9 titles, including the 1996 Copa Libertadores, and which is part of our rich history. I accompany his family and loved ones in this moment of pain,” was the farewell he said to him insocial networks the current president of the club, Stefano Di Carlo.
“A great loss for the River world. Today Alfredo Davicce, president of our club between 1989 and 1997, passed away. A man who dedicated years of his life to River and who was at the forefront of one of the most glorious stages in our history. With him as president, River won several local tournaments (with the memorable three-time championship Apertura 96, Clausura 97 and Apertura 97) and two international titles: our second CupLibertadores in 1996 and the SupercopaSudamericana in 1997. I accompany your loved ones and the entire Iverplatense family in this painful moment.Thank you for everything, Alfredo.May you rest in peace,” Carlos Trillo, former candidate for president of the club in the last elections and current member, wrote on his social networks.
Daniel Kiper, another of the candidates to win the presidency in the last elections, also expressed himself on his social networks: “Alfredo Davicce has died, and with him a significant stage in the political and institutional history of Club Atlético River Plate closes. Not the whole story, not a myth: a decisive stretch, crossed by convictions, intense debates, successes and errors. Davicce was part of a generation of leaders who thought of the club as something more than a team offootball,” he noted about the historic manager who joined the club’s political life in the 1960s. “Davicce was a leader trained in the culture of debate, persistence and responsibility,” he praised him.”At this moment of farewell, I say it without rhetoric: I say goodbye to a friend. Someone with whom I discussed and worked for years of institutional life, in times when River thought of itself with passion and responsibility. Alfredo Davicce no longer belongs to River’s daily politics. It belongs to its history,” he remarked.
