13/03/2025 16:23 - Updated: 13/03/2025 16:44
One of the most challenging defeats under Martín Demichelis's stewardship at River Plate came in the shape of a 2-0 setback against Deportivo Riestra during the 2024 Liga Profesional. That particular match put the coach's job on shaky ground, leading to a succession of changes at the managerial helm just three matches later, which saw Marcelo Gallardo take over. This defeat wasn't just a bitter pill for the Núñez side but also marked the birth of a streak that remains intact today, and surely, they’ll be keen to halt come Saturday’s fixture.
Riestra's historic triumph over River in 2024 (Juano Tesone-FTP Clarín). Following this pivotal victory under Cristian Fabbiani, who is now at the helm of Newell's, Riestra has not tasted defeat in any of their subsequent 16 home matches at the Guillermo Laza. In these games, the Blanquinegro has tallied seven wins and nine draws, amassing 30 points from 48 available. This impressive statistic reflects the inherent difficulty of maintaining an unbeaten run in Argentine football; however, it’s worth noting that the Malevo hasn’t celebrated a victory on home soil since 18 October 2024, when they secured a 2-0 win over Atlético Tucumán in the LPF. Remarkably, while they had five consecutive wins at home following that historic victory over River, they have not managed to take all three points in their last eight outings (a span of 145 days).
With such an unbeaten run in play, River will have yet another compelling incentive to claim all three points, which could firmly position them within the top four of Zone B in this Apertura tournament.
Head-to-head between River and Riestra
Although these clubs faced off in a friendly back in 2012, they only clashed twice in official settings, both occurring in 2024. In their first encounter, River triumphed thanks to goals from Miguel Borja, Nacho Fernández, and Andrés Herrera, securing the points in Bajo Flores during the Copa de la Liga. The second match saw Riestra exact their revenge with a 2-0 victory, courtesy of goals from Alan Barrionuevo and Nicolás Benegas.