The 2011 River Plate relegation was a promotion playoff series contested by River Plate and Belgrano (Córdoba) to determine which team would be promoted to the Primera División or relegated to the Primera B Nacional, according to the promotion and relegation system in force at the time.Argentina 2010/11 by Juan Pablo Andrés at the RSSSF.com

It was the first promotion and relegation series contested by River Plate, and the fourth by Belgrano (with previous appearances in 2006 (won to Olimpo),A 18 años del ascenso de Belgrano en Bahía Blanca on La Voz. 4 June 2024 2008,El día que Racing promocionó on Olé and 2009,Rosario Central 1 v Belgrano 0 - match summary on ESPN.com.ar all of them while playing in Primera B Nacional).

Belgrano won the series 3–1 on aggregate promoting to Primera División, while River Plate was relegated for the first time in their history to the second division of Argentina.River, a 10 años del descenso on Clarín, 26 Jun 2021 During the second leg match, River Plate supporters reacted violently, vandalising the club facilities and facing the police in confrontation. The riot left 68 people injured, and 50 supporters detained.River: graves incidentes post descenso on ESPN.com.ar

River Plate's relegation generated an unprecedented impact in the country's sports and social spheres, being named "the saddest day in the history of the club".River en la B: cuándo descendió, por qué y toda la historia del día más triste en la historia del Millonario on Goal.com

Participant teams Team Position in championship River Plate 17th. of 2010–11 Primera División (none) Belgrano (C) 4th. of 2010–11 Primera B Nacional 2006, 2008, 2009

Format The playoffs were part of the 2010–11 Primera División and the 2010–11 Primera B Nacional seasons, where the 17th and 18th placed teams in the Primera División relegation table (River Plate and Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP), respectively) played the 3rd and 4th-place finishers of the Primera B Nacional (San Martín (SJ) and Belgrano (C), respectively) in a two-legged tie series."" by José Carluccio. 17 Mar 2014

The winner of each would claim a spot in the following Primera División season. The Primera División team (Team 1) played the second leg at home due to being the team in the upper division. In case of the series finished tied on goal difference, River Plate would remain in Primera also for being the team from the upper division.A 10 años de la peor pesadilla de River: Promoción y descenso by Fabio Dana on ESPN.com.ar. 25 Jun 2021

Background

River Plate had won the 2008 Clausura managed by Diego Simeone (after his successful run on Estudiantes de La Plata),El River que se sobrepuso al "silencio atroz" y salió campeón con un club "deteriorado" by Santiago Fiorda on TyC in the following season the team finished in the last position.Para la historia: River terminó último on La Nación, 14 Dec 2008 (which did not happen since 1912)Argentina - Domestic Championships 1912 by Osvaldo Gorgazzi at the RSSSF That disastrous campaign was highlighted as a first step to the team's relegation three years later.El día que River terminó último en la tabla y empezó su debacle hacia el descenso on TN.com.ar, 14 Dec 2022

Due to the poor campaigns made in the aforementioned seasons that put the team in the relegation zone, River Plate executives decided to hire some players in order to earn points during the 2010–11 season. Some of the footballers that came to the club included Juan Pablo Carrizo (returned to the club),Carrizo arregló y vuelve a River on ESPN. 6 Jul 2010 Mariano Pavone,River presentó a Mariano Pavone on TN.com.ar, 28 Jul 2010 Leandro Caruso, Jonatan Maidana,Maidana la muralla de River on cariverplate.com.ar and Paraguayan Adalberto Román.River contrató al paraguayo Adalberto Román on La Capital (mdp). 26 Jul 2010 In the 2010 Apertura and after some bad results, manager Angel Cappa was dismissed, being replaced by Juan José López as interim manager.J.J. López quedó confirmado como técnico de River on Ambito.com, 14 Dec 2010 Under his coaching, River Plate finished 4th.

For the 2011 Clausura, president of the club Daniel Passarella (elected in December 2009)Daniel Alberto Passarella es el nuevo presidente de River La Nación. 6 Dec 2009 officialised López as manager after the good performance in the previous season. Due to the poor economic situation of the club, River Plate gave Ariel Ortega (who had a personal conflict with Passarella since 2007, when Passarella was manager of the team)Passarella echó a Ortega on El Día, 9 Jun 2007Ortega no quiere hablar con Passarella on ESPN.com.ar, Jun 11, 2012 on loan to All Boys, which had recently promoted to Primera División.Cuando el Burrito Ortega se sumó a All Boys en Mar de Ajó on Tiempo Argentino

Despite a good beginning in the Clausura, River Plate only could earn 4 points out of 21, finishing 17th. (out of 20) in the relegation table so the team had to play a series to avoid being relegated to the second division.

Venues Córdoba Buenos Aires El Gigante de Alberdi Estadio Monumental Capacity: 38,000 Capacity: 59,109Estadio Monumental: inauguración, historia y capacidad de la cancha de River on One Football. 29 Aug 2018

Matches

First leg

The first leg was held in El Gigante de Alberdi, home venue of Belgrano. River Plate's manager surprised everyone by fielding a team made up of many young players, leaving experienced players such as Mariano Pavone, Leandro Caruso and Jonatan Maidana on the bench. The match ended with a score of 2–0 in favor of the home team. The first goal was scored by midfielder César Mansanelli in the 25th minute; it came from a penalty awarded by referee Néstor Pitana after Paraguayan defender Adalberto Román touched the ball with his hand. The foul was judged as intentional by linesman Yamil Bonfá, as Pitana had initially ignored it.River - Belgrano, la Promoción por el descenso en 2011: formaciones, resumen de los partidos, videos, fotos e incidentes on goal.com

The second goal came in the 4th minute of the second half. Mansanelli crossed from the right, Luciano Lollo headed it in and César Pereyra sent the ball to the goal to increase the score to 2–0 for the Cordobese team.

The violence came when more than ten River Plate fans, some of them hooded, invaded the pitch to heckle and attack their players (one heckled and pushed Román and another kicked Arano in the boot), causing the match to be stopped for 20 minutes. Adding to River's already complicated situation was the fact that three of the team's undisputed starters received their fifth yellow card of the tournament and were unable to play in the second leg: Almeyda, Román, and Ferrari.

Second leg

The second leg kicked off at River Plate's Estadio Monumental. Just three minutes into the match, Belgrano's César Mansanelli temporarily gave his team the lead; however, Pezzotta ruled out the goal, citing offside. Mariano Pavone, who scored River Plate's only goal in the second leg of the qualifying round, also missed a penalty in that same match. Two minutes later, River Plate's forward Mariano Pavone gave his team the lead, putting them on the verge of a draw and safety. Because River Plate was the team defending its First Division spot, it had a sporting advantage that would allow it to remain in the First Division in the event of a tie.

In the second half, the game was far from over, until the 16th minute when Belgrano midfielder Guillermo Farré took advantage of a defensive error from River; after a running finish, he scored a goal to tie the game, which eventually became the final score. Despite this, the excitement continued when, 24 minutes into the second half, Leandro Caruso was fouled by Cristian Tavio and referee Pezzotta awarded a penalty kick to River Plate. Nevertheless, Mariano Pavone lose the chance when his shot was saved by goalkeeper Juan Carlos Olave.

The final score relegated River Plate to the second division for the first time in their history, ending 102 uninterrupted years in the top division of Argentine football since 1909.El día que River se convirtió en el primer ascendido de la historia on Urgente24 – 27 Dec 2023

Details

GK 1 Juan Carlos Olave DF 2 Gastón Turus (c) DF 4 Claudio Pérez DF 6 Luciano Lollo DF 3 Cristian Tavio MF 11 César Mansanelli MF 5 Guillermo Farré MF 9 Ribair Rodríguez MF 8 Juan C. Maldonado MF 10 Franco Vázquez FW 7 César Pereyra Substitutions: MF 16 Martín Andrizzi FW 18 Mariano Campodónico MF 15 Lucas Parodi Manager: Ricardo Zielinski

GK 1 Juan Pablo Carrizo DF 4 Paulo Ferrari DF 2 Alexis Ferrero DF 19 Adalberto Román DF 3 Carlos Arano MF 29 Mauro Díaz MF 14 Ezequiel Cirigliano MF 25 Matías Almeyda (c) MF 10 Erik Lamela MF 37 Roberto Pereyra FW 9 Rogelio Funes Mori Substitutions: FW 11 Leandro Caruso DF 6 Jonatan Maidana FW 7 Mariano Pavone Manager: Juan José López

GK 1 Juan Pablo Carrizo (c) DF 6 Jonatan Maidana DF 2 Alexis Ferrero DF 13 Juan Manuel Díaz MF 15 Facundo Affranchino MF 5 Walter Acevedo MF 3 Carlos Arano MF 37 Roberto Pereyra MF 10 Erik Lamela MF 11 Leandro Caruso FW 7 Mariano Pavone Substitutions: FW 34 Daniel Villalva MF 8 Fabián Bordagaray Manager: Juan José López

GK 1 Juan Carlos Olave DF 2 Gastón Turus (c) DF 4 Claudio Pérez DF 6 Luciano Lollo DF 3 Cristian Tavio MF 11 César Mansanelli MF 5 Guillermo Farré MF 9 Ribair Rodríguez MF 8 Juan C. Maldonado MF 10 Franco Vázquez FW 7 César Pereyra Substitutions: MF 16 Martín Andrizzi MF 15 Lucas Parodi Manager: Ricardo Zielinski

Aftermath

Immediate consequences

The following day, June 27, Juan José López resigned as manager. Matías Almeyda, now a former club player, took over as his successor.El Pelado elige a su nuevo batallón on Olé (archived)

A 23-year-old fan slit his wrists,Se cortó las venas porque River descendió a la "B" on El Intransigente while another young man of the same age committed suicide by throwing himself onto the Urquiza Line tracks in Tres de Febrero Partido.Un hincha de River se suicida tras el descenso on Onlinebaires.com

Daniel Passarella, the club's president, announced that he would not resign and would remain in office until the end of the season.Passarella: "Voy a resistir, de acá me sacan con los pies para adelante" on TN.com.ar, 26 Jun 2011 He also denied having been victim of multiple threats.Passarella negó haber sido amenazado: "No sé de dónde salen esas cosas" on Diario Jornada

In the vicinity of Estadio Monumental, especially along Avenida del Libertador between Montañeses and Monroe streets, 60 businesses were looted and damaged, as well as 150 vehicles and the fronts of dozens of houses and apartment buildings. It was estimated that at least $ 4 million in damages were caused to private individuals. It was also stated that River Plate, the national government, and the city government would be responsible for compensating the victims for such damages.Núñez quedó arrasado por el vandalismo La Nación. 30 Jun 2011

Impact on media As River Plate was one of the most important football clubs of Argentina, its relegation caused a strong commotion in the sports media, not only in Argentina but worldwide. In Spain, the sports newspaper As headlined: "River Plate consummates its disaster and is relegated"; while the newspaper Marca titled "River Plate goes to hell"El "infierno" de River en el mundo on 442.com. 26 Jun 2011

The relegation was also covered by La Gazzetta dello Sport of Italy ("River Plate goes to hell") and Brazilian Lance! ("Tragedy: River Plate is relegated"). Also in Brazil, the newspaper Folha reported that: "River Plate misses a penalty, draws at home and is relegated, in Argentina". In the United Kingdom, The Telegraph chose a more formal tone to describe the situation, only stating "River Plate was relegated for the first time in its history".River Plate relegated for first time in their history at The Telegraph UK

Repercusion on players