Daniel Rivillo

Right Back - Estudiantes de Merida
22 Nov 2027
Monday
Process
65 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

25 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Boardroom

Pressure builds in the Estudiantes de Merida boardroom

The directors have stopped offering the manager public warmth. In football that is usually the stage before the short statement.

Squad

Tito Rojas out for 37 days

The medical room confirms 37 days on the sidelines for Tito Rojas, and a plan built around him now has to be rebuilt.

Loan watch

Ander Izarra wants to come home

“I did not go to Portuguesa to sit and watch. I want to come back to Estudiantes de Merida and fight for my place.” 3 appearances in 13 matches say the rest.

In brief

Back issues
64 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

18 Oct 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Squad

The manager makes an example of Alexander Guerra

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

César Magallan linked with a move away

The name of César Magallan keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Estudiantes de Merida say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

Daniel Rivillo knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estudiantes de Merida, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

58 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

6 Sep 2027
From our football correspondent Crisis

Boardroom

Alejandro Machis has until the next board meeting

What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Estudiantes de Merida can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.

Squad

Ángel Flores named player of the month

The award goes to Ángel Flores, and nobody around here is inclined to argue with the choice.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Daniel Rivillo

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief

55 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

16 Aug 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Market

Wilken Ramírez hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estudiantes de Merida can pretend not to have heard.

Market

Al-Nahda come back empty-handed

The bid was some way short and Estudiantes de Merida did not need long over it. Nobody in the game reads a first refusal as the end of anything.

Squad

Daniel Rivillo says Estudiantes de Merida went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida get the job done against Caracas

A 1-0 win over Caracas, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Héctor Acosta

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Estudiantes de Merida and Michael Maldonado are talking past each other

“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.

In brief

44 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

31 May 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Wilken Ramírez says Estudiantes de Merida went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Match

Aragua take the points off Estudiantes de Merida

Beaten 0-1, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Daniel Rivillo

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief

43 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

24 May 2027
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Market

Wilken Ramírez hands in a written request

“I have nothing bad to say about this place. I just need to be somewhere else.” It is in writing now, which changes what Estudiantes de Merida can pretend not to have heard.

Match

Still nobody has beaten Estudiantes de Merida

The unbeaten run reaches 9. Some of them were wins and some were escapes, but a side that refuses to lose is a side other dressing rooms talk about.

Squad

Ángelo Peña gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

No goals between Estudiantes de Merida and Deportivo Lara

Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Deportivo Lara will be the happier side with the point.

Market

Geovan Montes linked with a move away

The name of Geovan Montes keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Estudiantes de Merida say nothing, which says plenty.

Squad

César Magallan wants a proper job in this side

Shifted about, taken off before the hour, asked to do somebody else's running — César Magallan has had enough of being useful and would like to be picked. Estudiantes de Merida know, and have known for weeks.

In brief

37 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

12 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

Javier Márquez says Estudiantes de Merida went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Match

5 matches without a win for Estudiantes de Merida

The run now stands at 5, and the questions being asked around Estudiantes de Merida are no longer polite ones.

Squad

Kevin Quejada gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

In brief

36 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

5 Apr 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Match

4 matches without a win for Estudiantes de Merida

The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Estudiantes de Merida are no longer polite ones.

Squad

The manager makes an example of David Zalzman

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Talks stall between Estudiantes de Merida and Daniel Rivillo

“We are a long way apart, and pretending otherwise helps nobody.” Neither side is close, and the calendar is not on the club's side.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida and Zamora take a point apiece

It finished 1-1, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

Squad

The armband comes off Andrés Montero

Estudiantes de Merida will explain it as a decision about the team, and it may well be one. A dressing room has never once read it that way.

Squad

Kevin Quejada knocks on the manager's door

“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Estudiantes de Merida, and both men came out saying it was fine.

In brief

35 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

29 Mar 2027
From our football correspondent Uneasy

Squad

The manager makes an example of Daniel Rivillo

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida share the spoils with Llaneros

A 2-2 draw with Llaneros leaves the dressing room somewhere between relief and regret.

Squad

Miguel Celis is off the mark for Estudiantes de Merida

The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.

In brief

30 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

22 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Alan Minda: that is not what I was promised

“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Estudiantes de Merida have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida find a way past Portuguesa

Portuguesa made Estudiantes de Merida work for it, but the scoreboard read 1-0 at the end and the table does not ask how.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Kevin Quejada

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

In brief

29 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

15 Feb 2027
From our football correspondent Steady

Match

No end in sight to Estudiantes de Merida's wait for a win

4 matches now without a victory, and the excuses have worn thinner than the patience. Somebody at Estudiantes de Merida has to find a result from somewhere.

Squad

David Zalzman gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida and Aragua take a point apiece

It finished 2-2, and it somehow always looked like it would. One of those afternoons where the table moves less than the tempers.

In brief

20 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

14 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Boardroom

Silverware for Estudiantes de Merida

They will talk about this season in this town for a long time. The trophy comes home with the squad, and the route is already agreed.

Match

Estudiantes de Merida through in the cup

A 1-0 win over Deportivo Tachira, and the draw for the next round can be watched with some interest for once.

Squad

Alexander Guerra says Estudiantes de Merida went back on their word

“I was told what my role would be, and I signed on that basis. It has not happened.” A grievance with a date attached is the hardest kind to settle.

Squad

Cristhián Rivas gets it from the manager

“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.

Squad

Daniel Rivillo left out for the big one

A player who expected to start watched it instead. The manager will call it a decision for the team; Daniel Rivillo will call it something else in private.

Market

Héctor Acosta is free to find somewhere else

“I was told straight, and I would rather have it straight.” The manager at Estudiantes de Merida has been clear about where Héctor Acosta stands, which is more than many ever get.

Market

The César Magallan talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Estudiantes de Merida know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

The shirt belongs to Luis Caicedo now

At 34 he has made the position his own, and the man he took it from has to find something to say about it. Estudiantes de Merida have a decision that made itself.

The terraces

The press have found their man in Gelmín Rivas

Column inches are not points, but a footballer whose name keeps appearing for the right reasons is a footballer whose price has just gone up.

In brief

19 Edition

The Estudiantes de Merida Gazette

7 Dec 2026
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

José Navarro stays put

“The easiest signature of my career.” José Navarro and Estudiantes de Merida agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.

Market

Estudiantes de Merida and Daniel Rivillo are talking past each other

“There is a gap, and pretending there is not helps nobody.” Neither side has moved, and the calendar is working for exactly one of them.

Market

Wilken Ramírez told to find a new club

“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Wilken Ramírez has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Estudiantes de Merida.

Squad

Luis Caicedo asks for a word with the manager

“I would rather say it to his face than read about it.” The meeting was requested by the player, which tells you most of what you need to know.

Market

The Geovan Montes talk will not go away

Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Estudiantes de Merida know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.

Squad

Geovan Montes has company in his position

The competition arrived without a word said to him about it. Geovan Montes keeps the shirt for now, at Estudiantes de Merida's convenience rather than his own.

In brief