Coudet's fiery reactions mar River Plate's Copa Sudamericana draw

River Plate secured a goalless draw against Independiente Santa Fe in the first leg of their Copa Sudamericana round of 16 tie, but the match was overshadowed by coach Eduardo Coudet's animated reactions.

Coudet was seen and heard shouting tactical instructions at striker Rafael Santos Borré during the first half. When Borré asked him to calm down from the field, Coudet responded with an expletive, gesturing emphatically. The tension appeared to dissipate when Coudet substituted Borré in the 61st minute, with the two exchanging a handshake.

In his post-match press conference, Coudet downplayed the incident, stating, "With players, you sometimes clash, but I don't give it importance. I know them all, and we have a very good human relationship." This relationship reportedly dates back to their time together at Inter de Porto Alegre in 2023.

Adding to the controversy, Coudet's staff removed the microphones required by CONMEBOL during a hydration break. This action could result in a fine for River Plate, ranging from $3,000 to $10,000. This is not the first such incident for the club in the tournament; Facundo Colidio previously pushed away a broadcast camera during a break in a match against RB Bragantino.

Despite these episodes, River Plate managed to secure a draw in a hard-fought match where Nahuel Bustos of Santa Fe hit the post twice and missed another clear chance. The return leg is scheduled for next Wednesday in Buenos Aires, with the winner facing Olimpia or Vasco da Gama in the quarterfinals. Coudet's team is looking to advance in the Copa Sudamericana, their main international objective this year, following a recent domestic win that ended a four-game losing streak.

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With players, you sometimes clash, but I don't give it importance. I know them all, and we have a very good human relationship.