Nacho Fernández and the night of his reunion with his best version: he led a River Plate team that is in top form for the playoffs.

And one night Nacho returned... Ignacio Fernández played a great game, he controlled the midfield like in his best days, he scored a great goal and was The star of River Plate's thrashing of Vélez at the Monumental . The fans acknowledged his efforts with a loud round of applause, which was a welcome treat for the left-footer who wears the number 26 on his back.

"The River Plate fans have always treated me very well here on the pitch, even on social media, where there are always some questions, but I will always be grateful to the fans," Nacho said after a great performance in the rain and after playing the full 90 minutes.

Fernández was included in the starting lineup in place of Kevin Castaño , who came on in the second half for Enzo Pérez . And it was a welcome change for Nacho, who hadn't been playing much beyond a few substitute appearances or a few starts when River played with substitutes. Against Vélez, with a majority of the team's starters, Muñeco chose the left-footed player, who was a star in his first season, to start. And the midfielder repaid the confidence with a tremendous performance, more similar to his first chapter at River than his second.

Since his return to the club at the end of 2022, he only performed well in the first half of 2023, when River Plate won the championship, but then his form declined. After strong performances in the first few months of 2024, from the middle of that year until now, he was more of a substitute than a starter. There were even rumors that he could leave the club, but he wanted to stay to fulfill his contract, which ends at the end of 2025, and Gallardo also wanted him to remain at the club.

In addition to Sunday's victory, Nacho also highlighted River's strong run in recent matches, in terms of results, performance, and performance, and emphasized the importance of winning the Superclásico, which has given the team confidence to reach the decisive stage of the Apertura tournament in the best possible shape. He also contributed a goal and an assist in the rout of Vélez.