River Plate's on-pitch crisis as they battle Flamengo for Thiago Almada

In partnership with

Coluna do Fla

·3 August 2026

River Plate's on-pitch crisis as they battle Flamengo for Thiago Almada

Family makes Thiago Almada prioritize River Plate (ARG) over Flamengo

Flamengo is negotiating the signing of Thiago Almada, but River Plate (ARG) is also keeping a close eye on the situation and trying to reach an agreement with the player. Amid the desire to ‘pull one over’ on the Rubro-Negro, the Buenos Aires side is going through a sporting crisis, in which it lost its first five matches in tournaments organized by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for the first time in history.

3–2 vs. Belgrano (ARG) (Torneo Apertura);
3–1 vs. Aldosivi (ARG) (Copa Argentina);
1–0 vs. Barracas Central (ARG) (Torneo Clausura);
1–0 vs. Gimnasia (ARG) (Torneo Clausura);
1–0 vs. Rosario Central (ARG) (Torneo Clausura).

Therefore, Eduardo Coudet’s team still has not earned a single point in the current national league. In the domestic cup, the stumble led to the team being eliminated even before the round of 16, which reduces the number of matches for the rest of the season.

OneFootball Videos

What else is River Plate competing in this season?

The Argentine club competing with Flamengo for Thiago Almada did not secure a Libertadores spot. Therefore, Coudet’s men will play Santa Fe (COL) in the Copa Sudamericana round of 16.

What does River intend to do about it?

Given the situation, Coudet’s dismissal appears imminent at River Plate. If the change in charge happens, the coach will leave with 12 wins in 22 matches. That means the 51-year-old manager would not even get to work with Thiago Almada.

How did River manage to convince Thiago Almada?

In the absence of a European offer, Thiago Almada is considering saying ‘yes’ to River Plate in order to stay close to relatives in Argentina. Initially, however, the Argentine club made an offer of around 20 million euros (R$ 117.3 million), but was unable to provide the financial guarantees required by Atlético de Madrid (ESP).

Will Flamengo just sit back and take it?

Rubro-Negro football director José Boto traveled to Buenos Aires in an attempt to prevent an agreement between the local club and Almada. The information comes from reporters Mônica Alves and Nathalia Coelho of Coluna do Fla.

What is the author’s opinion on the ‘Almada case’?

I think Flamengo is making a huge effort for someone who does not treat the club as a priority. So, to me, the ideal move would be to focus on Luiz Henrique,” opined João Vítor Reis of Coluna do Fla.

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