River Plate memories

4 years ago we visited Argentina and whilst there we were fortunate enough to be at a River Plate home game in Buenos Aires (right) on the opening day of the Clausura (closing season). For those unaware the Argentinian league system works on a two seasons a year basis, the Clausura from February to June and preceding that, the Apertura (opening season) from August to December.

This is a Latin American phenomenon and is said to fill gaps in the latter part of a full season (cup competitions are not such big thing in South America particularly) and allows the lesser teams the same amount of games.

Relegations, if any, are done on an aggregate basis, and this is where the cynicism comes in. In the Argentine leagues the average points over the previous three seasons are used to determine relegation, thus making relegation of one of the ‘big clubs’ impossible, well almost.

River Plate won the day we were among a crowd of 60,000 in February 2007, and started the Clausura as title favourites but the rot had already set in. Millions in debt with a decaying stadium that has hardly changed since it hosted the World Cup Final in 1978 and the skies were full of ticker-tape. In a city that is defined by the railway tracks that separate the rich and the poverty-stricken, River Plate were a runaway train that’s brakes had failed them.

Club Athlético River Plate was founded in 1901 close to the La Boca neighbourhood, a reason for their fierce rivalry with Buenos Aires’ other big gun’s Boca Juniors. In a move reminiscent to another I can think of, that tiny area in the south-east of the capital was too small for two giants, so River moved to the north of the city and the wealthy suburb of Belgrano where they built the wonderfully named Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, or simply El Monumental.

Los Millonarios as River have been known since the 1930’s have fallen on hard times. The spending, the corruption, the extremely fragile economy (Argentina is one of the poorest countries in the world), hideous incompetencies on and off the pitch and the violent and fearful yet scarily very influential hooligans or barrabrava has finally eaten itself and despite all the mechanisms put in place by the self-serving Argentinian FA, River were relegated for the first time in their history a week ago after losing a two-legged play-off against 2nd Division Belgrano de Cordoba.

The 2nd leg at River’s home was abandoned amid chaotic scenes with a minute to play. 100 people were injured plus 25 policemen. 4,000 seats were damaged, fires were burning long into the night both in and out of the stadium, which leaves workers desperately trying to get the stadium back to order for the Copa America final on July 24th. Then last week a explosive device caused damage at one of River Plate’s directors house. The locals shall we say are not happy.

When we went to the River Plate game, I begrudgingly took advice to go with an official guide, only because I was with my other half, as I wouldn’t have thought twice about getting the train on my own. We were warned not to wear anything but red and white, and to avoid the entradas populares (behind the goal) and sit in the plateas (fixed seats), which we did.

The atmosphere was party-like and it was hard to take your eyes of the incredible choreography from the thousands of barrabrava behind one goal.

However, what we found out afterwards sent a shiver down my spine. Two fans were shot before the game outside the stadium. River fans shot by fellow River supporters, rival ultras. Revenge was sought after the game that led to more clashes with police. During this time we were on our coach back to the hotel, rushed through a police cordon I remember. El Monumental was shut for five games after that match with Lanus.

Los Millonarios was once a potent force in South American football but now it means nothing more than irony and shame and amongst it all is a man called Daniel Passarella (left). It was the man they call El Gran Capitán who lifted the 1978 World Cup trophy high into that ticker-tape night Buenos Aires sky, an iconic memory.

Idolised as a player after 15 seasons at the club and also twice as manager. Now as club president he has presided over the the worst ever day in River Plate’s history and the road back could be very long.