Ramón Díaz confirmed he turned down an offer from Corinthians to wait for a potential return to River Plate. The 67-year-old coach, out of work since late 2025, clarified there has been no official contact with the club's current leadership. "No one has spoken to me or to Emiliano (Díaz, his son and field assistant) or been in touch with us," the manager explained. His statement comes as River Plate sits ninth in the Liga Profesional Argentina with 17 points from 12 games.
The current situation of the team, led by Leonardo Ponzio, is under observation after an irregular start to the season. The last match was a 1-1 draw against Sarmiento de Junín on October 14, with a goal from Gonzalo Montiel. The next challenge is a visit to second-placed Belgrano de Córdoba on October 18. This sporting context fuels speculation about potential changes in the dugout, where the name of Díaz, a club legend, is resurfacing strongly.
No official dialogue
Despite his stated availability and the sacrifice of rejecting a major option in Brazil, Díaz insists there have been no approaches. "I discarded a great opportunity at Corinthians waiting for an opportunity at River when it happens," he stated. His son and assistant, Emiliano Díaz, also turned down an offer to manage Corinthians out of loyalty to his father, reinforcing the image of a family project on hold. Ponzio's continuity is being evaluated match by match, and the game against Belgrano will be another key benchmark in that assessment.
A winning legacy
Ramón Díaz is not only any candidate. He is the second most successful coach in River Plate's history by trophies won, with nine titles across his three spells in charge. His last stint ended in 2014, after winning the Torneo Final, just before Marcelo Gallardo's arrival. In each of his periods at Núñez he left championships. Now, with the team five points behind leaders Rosario Central and showing recent form of two wins, two draws and one loss in the last five games, his potential return is being intensely debated. River Plate needs to find consistency, especially in a phase of the season where every point is vital to close the gap in the standings.
The immediate future, however, does not involve Díaz but Friday's match in Córdoba. A positive result against a direct rival could solidify the current project, while a defeat would further fuel the rumours. Forward Gonzalo Montiel, the team's top scorer with seven goals this season, will be a key piece in that search for points away from home.
More detail at Clarin Deportes
