Buenos Aires, Dec 23 (NA) -- River Plate concluded a negative 2025 sporting year by failing to secure any international titles or qualify for the 2026 Copa Libertadores, despite multimillion-dollar investments in reinforcements and Marcelo Gallardo's second full cycle, in the final year of the administration led by President Jorge Brito.
According to what Argentina News Agency learned, the sports balance exposed a strong contradiction between economic planning and on-field performance. River was eliminated by Independiente Rivadavia on penalties in the pre-final, thus closing its participation in the country's most federal tournament and deepening the feeling of frustration.
The climax of the year came in the 2025 Clausura Tournament, where the Gallardo-led team suffered a heavy blow by losing 2-0 in the Superclásico to Boca Juniors. In this way, the club will face the next season without playing in the Libertadores and with the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Cup as its main international objective, a tournament it won in 2014.
The only title of the year was the International Super Cup, obtained in March by defeating Talleres de Córdoba on penalties, an achievement that generated excitement at the start of the season, but which was isolated over the months within a calendar dominated by adverse results.
On an institutional level, the end of Jorge Brito's administration left mixed feelings. In his early steps, he promoted a contractual restructuring aimed at linking salaries and continuity with the commitment and performance of the footballers, marking a change of course from the previous stage.
Facing 2026, River began to strengthen in one of the most questioned areas of the last year: midfield. That result not only meant another decisive defeat, but it also allowed its eternal rival to secure qualification for the 2026 Copa Libertadores, leaving River conditioned by external results. Boca's subsequent fall against Racing Club ended up burying any hope of the Núñez team accessing the continental playoff.
After a 2025 year without footballing answers, River begins a new stage with the urgent need to rebuild its identity and become a protagonist again on the international scene.
While off the pitch, advances in infrastructure, economic order, and brand positioning stood out, on the sports field the main objectives were not achieved. With the renewal of authorities, Stefano Di Carlo assumed the presidency with the premise of prioritizing sporting performance.
Throughout three transfer windows, River Plate disbursed nearly 74 million dollars with the aim of competing at the highest continental level, a bet that did not find backing in the collective or individual performance of the reinforcements.
The first major blow came in the Copa Libertadores de América, where the “Millionaire” was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Palmeiras, in a series that exposed structural weaknesses in defense and a marked lack of offensive effectiveness. The team did not advance past the group stage after competing against Urawa Red Diamonds, Inter de Italia, and Monterrey de México, delivering a performance below expectations for a squad built on hierarchy and international experience.
With the international front ruled out, the Copa Argentina appeared as an opportunity for redemption. The elimination cut off the season's main objective and conditioned the rest of the calendar. Far from reversing the image, River also failed to stand out in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The arrivals of Aníbal Moreno, acquired for 7 million dollars, and Fausto Vera, on loan, represent the first pieces of the new project led by Gallardo. The upcoming scenario appears as a transitional period. The club's historical demand requires recovering competitiveness immediately, although the margin for error will be reduced.
