Soccer-Teo relegated at River while he eats grandma's pasties

By Luis Ampuero BUENOS AIRES, July 2 (Reuters) - Colombia striker Teofilo Gutierrez is no longer a part of River Plate's first team squad, coach Marcelo Gallardo said on Thursday. Gutierrez returned home to Barranquilla after Colombia lost their Copa America quarter-final to Argentina in Chile and has said he wants a move to Brazil, with Corinthians showing an interest. "Before linking up with his national team for the Copa America, 'Teo' had told me of his wish to leave River and I will respect his position and not oblige him to stay here if he doesn't want to," Gallardo told TyC Sports. "I'm grateful for what he gave us but from my position as River's coach I'm not counting on Teo any more. I have not been counting on him for 20 days. There is no going back on the decision." Gutierrez was part of the River side that won the Clausura title in May 2014 and the Copa Sudamericana in December before helping them reach the Libertadores Cup semi-finals which will be played this month. Club president Rodolfo D'Onofrio has taken a dim view of the 2014 South American Footballer of the Year's behaviour. "If Gutierrez returns to the club he will play for the reserves," D'Onofrio said. "If there's an offer for him we'll study it and if it doesn't satisfy us he must return to River when he's finished eating his grandmother's 'empanadas' (pasties)," he added in reference to a picture Gutierrez posted on social media. D'Onofrio and Gallardo were attending the presentation of the club's new signings to the media including former Argentina midfielder Lucho Gonzalez, who agreed last month to return to River where he made his first division debut in 1999. Gonzalez joins other former River and Argentina team mates Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola who have also returned as the club bid to win the Libertadores Cup for the third time. They meet Guarani of Paraguay in the semi-finals with the first leg at home on July 14 and the return in Asuncion a week later. The Argentine league championship resumes on June 10 following a five-week break for the Copa America. (Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)