Paulo Díaz Reflects on River’s Win With Honest Criticism

River Plate defeated San Martín de San Juan 2-0 at the Monumental with goals from Santiago Lencina and Maximiliano Salas, yet defender Paulo Díaz stressed that the team’s performance was far from perfect. The Chilean center-back, back in the starting lineup, admitted that River has been inconsistent and still needs to improve.

River controlled the first half and took a comfortable two-goal lead, but the pace dropped after the break. The early substitutions failed to change the rhythm, and San Martín began to create chances that forced Franco Armani to step in. While River managed to secure the clean sheet and the points, the display left room for doubt.

Speaking after the match, Díaz was clear in his assessment. “We wanted to end this run of matches with a win, it was important ahead of the FIFA break. The key was to win,” he said, before pointing out flaws. “There are games when we look sharp and others when we are imprecise. Still, the squad is strong, full of quality players. We must keep growing. Gallardo rates us at five out of ten, and we need to build from there”, he added.

The defender also found time for humor when talking about Maximiliano Salas’ performance. Smiling, he said his teammate “is a nightmare because he runs everywhere” and joked he was glad not to face him in official games.

With the victory, River strengthened its position in the annual table, a key path to Libertadores 2026 qualification. Gallardo’s side remains among the contenders, but consistency will be the true measure in the weeks to come.