River kick off the league away to Barracas Central in a tricky test | OneFootball

Marcelo Gallardo’s team will visit the “Guapo” at the Claudio Fabián Tapia stadium, in the opening match of the league tournament. With new signings and the need to change the image after a difficult 2025, the “Millonario” faces a challenge that serves as an initial step in their footballing reconstruction.

River will kick off their participation in the 2026 Apertura Tournament at 5 PM, when they visit Barracas Central at a venue that often poses difficulties for the big teams.

The match will be played at the Claudio Fabián Tapia stadium, with Nicolás Ramírez officiating and Héctor Paletta in charge of VAR, while the broadcast will be handled by ESPN Premium.

The Núñez side comes into this debut conditioned by a previous year that fell far below their historical standards. For much of 2025, and especially in the second half, the team showed inconsistent performances, with results that never managed to establish a competitive identity. This scenario led to River’s absence from the next Copa Libertadores, a tournament they had played in uninterruptedly since 2015, and to criticism that even reached Marcelo Gallardo.

With the intention of beginning a recovery phase, the management played a leading role in the transfer market. For the start of this tournament, the coach will have the additions of Fausto Vera and Aníbal Moreno in midfield, as well as left-back Matías Viña, players brought in to strengthen key areas of the team and provide immediate solutions.

On the other side will be a Barracas Central enjoying the best moment in its history. The “Guapo” closed out a memorable 2025 by qualifying for the Copa Sudamericana for the first time, although their campaign was not without controversy due to repeated disputed refereeing decisions.

In recent encounters, however, River has shown clear dominance: they have won the last four meetings between the two teams, with comfortable victories and without trouble, a statistic they will try to confirm at the start of this championship.

Probable lineups

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.