Another high powered name has fallen victim to this year’s topsy turvy Argentine league which sees lesser lights Lanus and Tigre atop the Apertura standings as Daniel Passarella announced that he is quitting as River Plate’s coach following their shock defeat at the hands of Arsenal di Sarandi in the Copa Sudamericana. This follows the resignation of Ricardo La Volpe as he saw Velez Sarsfield also fail in its bid to improve its position.
River Plate is now in its sixth year without a major title and the club’s primary attack comes from Fernando Belluschi who teamed up with evergreen Ariel Ortega to provide the Apertura with the most potent attack. The most disappointing aspect of River Plate’s season so far has been its porous defence that has given up 25 goals that is just three less than cellar dwellers Rosario Central.
This is surprising when you consider that Passarella is possibly Argentina’s best known defender, who no quarter was asked of nor did he give any. Captain of the 1978 Argentina World Cup winning squad, he was known for his ferocious tackles, sharp elbows, and attacking capabilities.