Overview
- River appointed Leonardo Ponzio as interim first-team coach on 27 August, which led the club to register a formal contract running to 31 August 2027 on 18 September to satisfy competition rules.
- The AFA rule that limited interim coaches to two matches and forbids contracts shorter than one year forced the club to sign a one-year deal rather than a brief interim agreement.
- Ponzio has won his first three matches as coach, collecting nine points and improving River’s position in the Torneo Clausura and the annual table that helps determine Libertadores places.
- Club president Stefano Di Carlo and sporting director Enzo Francescoli say the contract is procedural and that Ponzio’s continued role will be judged on the team’s results and its ability to reach international competitions.
- A long-serving River figure who moved from playing to the Secretaría Técnica, Ponzio’s internal promotion has steadied the squad and will be reassessed at the end of the season, shaping whether the club restarts a formal managerial search.