Marcelo Gallardo and River Plate: Is the end of a painful second act drawing near?

That immortal saying popularised by Miguel de Cervantes in Don Quixote – that “second parts never were good” – could well apply to Marcelo Gallardo’s second spell in charge of River Plate.

Gallardo’s return to the Buenos Aires giants, in August 2024, has been far removed from the unforgettable first chapter that turned him into a statue-worthy figure at the club, when he claimed 14 titles – more than any other manager in River’s history.

After three consecutive league defeats, the 50-year-old coach may not even make it to his side’s next fixture against Banfield on Thursday at the Monumental.

Between mid-2014 and the end of 2022, Gallardo built a golden era at River, one of South America’s footballing powerhouses, most notably by winning two Copa Libertadores titles (2015 and 2018) – one of them secured in a final against arch-rivals Boca Juniors – as well as the Copa Sudamericana in 2014.

But after a subdued 2022 campaign, the manager opted to step away. Following nearly a year out of the game, he returned to coaching with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, only to be dismissed in mid-2024 due to poor results.

Just weeks later, after Martín Demichelis – his successor during that 18-month absence – departed, Gallardo resumed his place on River’s bench for a second cycle that is now faltering.

Downward spiral

When he returned, Gallardo signed a deal running until the end of 2025. The club’s new president, Stefano Di Carlo, extended it to December 2026, even after a year in which the team failed to qualify for the Libertadores.

Alongside that unexpected absence from the continent’s premier club competition, Gallardo has endured a string of disappointments domestically, failing to secure any of the numerous titles on offer despite more than US$70 million invested in strengthening the playing squad.

On Sunday, River lost 1–0 away to leaders Vélez Sarsfield, slipping to 10th place in their group and 21st overall in the 30-team standings.

To compound matters, the side have scored just four goals in six league matches – none from their forwards – underlining an alarming lack of attacking edge.

The troubling statistics stretch back to last year: River have suffered 12 defeats in their last 20 domestic matches, an unthinkable figure for one of Argentina’s most popular and powerful clubs.

After the loss to Vélez, Gallardo declined to hold his customary post-match press conference. Local media reported that he would take several hours to reflect, assess the situation and decide whether he feels capable of reversing the crisis or whether it is time to head for the exit.

Not thinking of stepping aside

“People are clearly not happy when we don’t win and they are when we do. We have to rebuild that connection between the supporters and the team,” Gallardo said last week after a narrow 1–0 win over Ciudad de Bolívar of the second division in the Copa Argentina.

“I’m not thinking of stepping aside. The noise around results is always there, especially when they are not favourable. But if that destabilises us, it means we’re not convinced by what we’re doing. And I am convinced – we all are,” he added.

For now, Gallardo is expected to face the River faithful again on Thursday at the Monumental, where it seems unlikely that thousands of fans of the red sash will turn on the man whose statue stands just outside the stadium.

From the boardroom, led by Di Carlo, the intention is to support the idol without pressure as he weighs up his future – a decision that ultimately rests in his own hands.