River Plate President Stéfano Di Carlo accused the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and referees of prejudicing the club during a press conference Tuesday.
The allegations signal a deepening rift between one of Argentina's most prominent clubs and the governing body of the sport. This tension comes as the team struggles to find form on the pitch, creating a volatile atmosphere for the club's leadership and supporters.
Speaking at the club's facilities, Di Carlo said that the team has been unfairly targeted by officiating. He backed a sentiment expressed by team captain Nicolás Otamendi, who said, “Somos nosotros contra todos” — we are us against everyone [1, 2].
The president's criticism follows a severe slump in performance during the Clausura. According to club data, River Plate has recorded zero points and zero goals during the tournament [1]. The frustrations peaked following a recent defeat against Tigre [1, 2].
Di Carlo did not provide specific match evidence during the conference but said that the pattern of refereeing decisions has been detrimental to the club's standing [1]. He said that the AFA's oversight has failed to ensure neutrality in matches involving River Plate [2].
The club's current trajectory is one of the most difficult in its recent history. The lack of scoring combined with a total absence of points has put immense pressure on the technical staff, and the squad [1]. By framing the struggle as a battle against the establishment, Di Carlo is aligning the club's internal failures with external systemic bias [1, 2].
River Plate has not yet released a formal legal complaint to the AFA regarding these claims, though the public nature of the press conference serves as a formal grievance [1].
““Somos nosotros contra todos””
By attributing a winless streak to referee bias rather than tactical or athletic failure, the River Plate presidency is employing a 'siege mentality' strategy. This approach often serves to deflect criticism from the coaching staff and players by unifying the fanbase against a common external enemy, the AFA, during a period of unprecedented sporting collapse.
