Independiente Rivadavia President Calls Referee a “Bandit” After Loss to River

Daniel Vila left River’s Monumental stadium furious with the referee, not his players. After Independiente Rivadavia’s 3-1 defeat, the club president called Nicolás Ramírez “a bandit” and said the officiating had tilted the match toward one side throughout.

Vila praised Alfredo Berti’s team and said it had played an excellent match. He pointed to Luis Sequeira’s shot against the crossbar as evidence that Independiente Rivadavia had come close to equalizing. But, he said, turning the result around was extremely difficult when his team was effectively playing against 12 men.

“

I’m very angry, obviously with the refereeing. Not with the players, because they played an excellent match and the opponent also played an excellent match. But the referee is a bandit.

He also questioned whether Ramírez held a grudge against the Mendoza club. Vila referred to the 2025 Copa Argentina final, when Ramírez sent off two Independiente Rivadavia players. The team finished that match with nine men, drew 2-2 with Argentinos Juniors and won 5-3 on penalties.

“

It is very difficult to turn a result around when we are playing against 12.

“I had hoped, deep down, that he would redeem himself for the embarrassment he caused in the Copa Argentina last year,” Vila said. “But no, he is an idiot.” He also demanded that Ramírez no longer officiate the club’s matches and attacked referee chief Federico Beligoy.

River opened the scoring around the half-hour mark when Gonzalo Montiel converted a penalty awarded after Ángel Correa entered the area and was hit as Leonard Costa attempted to take the ball. Tomás Galván doubled the lead early in the second half. Álex Arce pulled one back with a header, and Sequeira later struck the crossbar before Galván completed the 3-1 victory with a long-range shot into the corner.

“

I had hoped, deep down, that he would redeem himself for the embarrassment he caused in the Copa Argentina last year. But no, he is an idiot.