River pulls out of pre-Superclasico press conference

There are less than 72 hours to go until the Superclasico, and the buildup already has its first round, though this one wasn't played on a field. This Thursday, the traditional press conference that precedes Argentine soccer's big clasicos fell through, and there's a clear reason why: River gave notice that it wasn't going to show up.

The event was scheduled for midday this Friday in Ezeiza, but it never happened. The Professional Soccer League (LPF), which organizes the Clausura Tournament, confirmed the cancellation in a statement that left little room for doubt right from the headline: "River pulled out of the press conference."

"Unfortunately, fans will not be able to enjoy the usual pre-Superclasico press conference," the league lamented in its statement. According to the LPF, River communicated its decision not to attend less than 24 hours before the event was set to take place, and with one of the two protagonists missing, there was no choice but to call it off.

What's striking is that this wasn't some last minute whim with no backstory: the league explained that the press conference "had been in the works for several months," that it is "a regular commitment that all clubs take on at the start of each season," and that it's even written into the rules between the institutions. To make matters worse, a special format had been considered for this edition, with the Boca and River head coaches themselves set to face the media. With no word from River on that front, the idea was scrapped, and the league tried to salvage things by having the team captains attend instead, which is also standard practice. Still, there was no response from the Nunez club.

The LPF went further, revealing that it had kept up 15 days of constant contact with both institutions to make sure the event would go ahead as planned. According to the statement, these weekly press conferences aim to "take the drama out" of the atmosphere ahead of matches and generate content with international reach, in addition to upholding commercial commitments that benefit the clubs themselves.

That's why the Professional Soccer League regrets River's attitude, which clearly doesn't align with the spirit of these press conferences, which is "rivals, not enemies."Statement from the Professional Soccer League

A Thursday full of tension at the AFA

The no-show at the press conference wasn't the only thing stirring up trouble. On the same day, the Executive Committee approved the new format for the Primera Division, which won't take effect until 2027. River was the only club to vote against the measure. Estudiantes, which wasn't eligible to vote on this occasion, still voiced its support for the new scheme.

River's stance was ultimately explained by its president, Stefano Di Carlo, who also took the opportunity to address the officiating with an eye toward Sunday's Superclasico at La Bombonera. With that mix of institutional and sporting tension, the atmosphere ahead of the clasico arrives hotter than usual, even before the ball starts rolling.