Otamendi satisfied with his stance: "Let them designate the champion and we won't compete"

River captain Otamendi criticized refereeing inconsistencies after losing the Superclásico, claiming controversial VAR decisions and unequal application of rules cost his team the match.

River's captain Nicolás Otamendi did not hold back after his team's defeat in the Superclásico, accusing the referee and VAR of applying inconsistent standards. He highlighted a clear penalty against him that VAR did not review, and questioned why Gonzalo Montiel was sent off while Lautaro Blanco escaped a red card for a similar foul. "The Argentine football is being lost," Otamendi said. "It's infuriating because they don't let you compete. In the next tournament, let them just designate who will be champion and we won't even play."

River manager Leonardo Ponzio echoed the frustration, noting that VAR "always interferes against us" while remaining silent in other cases. River's president Stéfano Di Carlo added on social media: "When errors always favor the same teams, they stop being errors. They have no shame or limits. They are destroying Argentine football in front of everyone."

The loss deepened River's ongoing dispute with the AFA over the governance of Argentine football, particularly the 30-team league format. Boca's manager Rodolfo Arruabarrena declined to engage with the controversy, saying his team focuses on their own performance.