Club Atlético River Plate is at the centre of two current football news stories: its position in the Liga Profesional's annual table and a refereeing controversy in Europe that echoes a recent episode involving the team. Verified data shows the Núñez side sits eleventh in the Clausura with 7 points, following a 3-2 win over Banfield on August 30th.
What is River Plate's place in the annual table?
According to a report published by the newspaper Olé, Club Atlético River Plate occupies tenth place in the 2026 Liga Profesional annual table with 36 points. This tally, resulting from adding the points from the regular phases of the Apertura and Clausura, would currently grant them a spot in next year's Copa Sudamericana. The leader of this classification is Independiente Rivadavia, with 45 points. The annual table determines qualification for international cups for teams that are not tournament champions. River, which currently has a goal difference of +9, will look to improve its position in the final four rounds of the Clausura, starting with its next home match against Independiente Rivadavia on September 6th.
Why was River's penalty retaken and Real Madrid's wasn't?
An incident in Spain has rekindled the debate over VAR application and penalty area invasion rules. The outlet Clarín Deportes compared the play from the Betis vs Real Madrid match, where Kylian Mbappé missed a penalty and a local defender cleared the rebound, with an almost identical situation experienced by River against Banfield days earlier. At the Florencio Sola, referee Leandro Rey Hilfer ordered Thiago Almada's penalty to be retaken because Banfield's Ignacio Abraham entered the area before the ball was in play and intervened directly in the action. In contrast, at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, the VAR analysed the Betis play and determined there was no infringement, so play continued. The technical explanation, according to the analysis, would be that defender Marc Bartra did not have his foot on the grass at the exact moment of the execution, a millimetric detail that changed the final decision.
How is River Plate approaching its next match?
Martín Demichelis's team arrives at the September 6th match with an irregular performance at the start of the Clausura. With 7 goals for and 8 against, its -1 balance reflects some defensive difficulties. However, its form in the last four matches shows a slight improvement, with two wins, a draw, and a loss (WDWL). This Saturday, it will face an Independiente Rivadavia side that is sixth in the table and, curiously, the leader of the annual table. River, which is 9 points behind leader Argentinos Juniors, needs three points to close the gap in the title race. Fans can check the full schedule and updated league table on our fixtures and standings pages.
Which other teams would qualify for international cups?
The Olé report details the complete picture of qualification for international tournaments based on the annual table. The 2027 Copa Libertadores would include the Apertura champion (Belgrano), the Clausura champion, the Copa Argentina champion, and the top three in the annual table: Independiente Rivadavia, Argentinos Juniors, and Vélez Sarsfield. The six spots for the Copa Sudamericana, where River would currently enter, would be completed by Boca Juniors (fourth), Rosario Central (fifth), Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia La Plata (sixth and seventh, tied on 38 points), and Instituto de Córdoba (ninth). The final definition will depend on the results of the final rounds and possible international cup champions freeing up places. River's key match against Independiente Rivadavia will be on September 6th at the Monumental stadium.
