Otamendi after Ponzio's first loss at River: "We're unfairly losing a game where we created chances"

Two set pieces, two blows, and a night that got away from River right when the match seemed under control. The Monumental witnessed Leonardo Ponzio's first defeat in charge of the team: 2-1 against Huracan in matchday ten of the 2026 Clausura Tournament, a result that left more anger than resignation in the locker room.

Once the match ended, Nicolas Otamendi stood in front of ESPN Premium and held nothing back. The captain was blunt in describing what had happened on the field: for him, the scoreboard didn't tell the real story of the match.

We're unfairly losing a game where we created chances, we were patient. Out of desperation we started making mistakes, but we had great chances to score, we equalized. Two crappy goals go in against us and the result is different from everything we did.Nicolas Otamendi

That statement sums up River's current situation pretty well. The team created chances, showed patience, even managed to level the score at one point in the match, but two specific plays from Huracan ended up flipping the result. And in soccer, as Otamendi rightly pointed out, what remains is the scoreboard, not the way the game unfolded.

A standings picture that's tightening

The loss is no small matter for the Millonario's ambitions. The team is struggling both to finish among the top eight in its zone and to secure a spot in the CONMEBOL Libertadores through the annual table. Against that backdrop, Otamendi chose a message of persistence over destructive self-criticism.

Being River means trying until the very end. We had to always add three points until the end. After the FIFA date we'll keep trying. It doesn't take away from everything we did. Soccer is about results and it doesn't reflect what we did.Nicolas Otamendi

That idea of "trying until the very end" sounds almost like a manifesto for what's coming: the FIFA international break falls right on the calendar and gives Ponzio and his players some room to regroup before the fight for qualification resumes.

Otamendi and the call from the National Team

The conversation with Otamendi didn't stay only on River matters. The defender also addressed his latest call-up to the Argentina National Team, in a special context: the chance to share the field once again with Lionel Messi.

This call-up is for the best player in history. It's well deserved for him to be there that day. Hopefully I get to play, and if not, I'll get to share those special moments we've had with the National Team with him.Nicolas Otamendi

Between the frustration over the loss to Huracan and the excitement of another chapter alongside Messi, Otamendi closed out a night of contrasts. River needs to digest the defeat quickly: the standings show no mercy, and the FIFA date arrives at just the right moment to catch a breath before trying again, as the captain put it, "until the very end."