D'Onofrio Reveals the Critical Mistake That Ended Demichelis' Tenure at River Plate

River Plate’s Superclásico victory over Boca was accompanied by a bombshell revelation from former club president Rodolfo D'Onofrio. According to Olé, D'Onofrio strongly criticized Martín Demichelis and disclosed new details about the controversy that led to the coach's departure in late 2024.

D'Onofrio explained that Demichelis' off-the-record meeting with journalists, where he allegedly criticized several players, "broke everything." "Not only did he lack the charisma to connect with the fans, but he also made a mistake no eight-year-old would make," D'Onofrio said during an interview with Olga. Upon learning of the incident, he insisted on the coach’s dismissal: "They had to fire him because he could no longer manage the group."

The former president also defended Enzo Pérez, one of the veteran players reportedly targeted during Demichelis' meeting. "Demichelis made a mistake with Enzo because he was the captain. If you have a problem, you address it privately, not through the media," D'Onofrio emphasized, highlighting the breach of trust that ultimately fractured the team.

Demichelis’ tenure at River ended not just due to on-field struggles, but because of a major off-field error that irreparably damaged his relationship with the squad and club leadership.