Overview
- River lost the Superclásico 1-0 at La Bombonera and finished the match with nine players after the expulsions of Lucas Martínez Quarta and Gonzalo Montiel.
- Club president Stéfano Di Carlo confirmed on Wednesday that River submitted a formal request to the AFA asking that Nicolás Ramírez not be assigned to River matches and described his Superclásico performance as disastrous.
- Di Carlo said the protest is not limited to one game but responds to a string of decisions the club views as part of a systemic refereeing problem within the AFA.
- Leonardo Ponzio will remain in charge of the first team through the end of the year after being chosen to manage a transition to avoid bringing in a new coach during the tournament, and the club will decide his continuity based on a year-end sporting balance.
- River faces an immediate league fixture away in Mar del Plata and the club’s complaint to the AFA could heighten scrutiny of future referee assignments while the team pursues results that affect Copa Libertadores hopes and the club’s broader multi-year project.