River’s crisis is beginning to creep into an area that no fan wants, the Copa Santander Libertadores. The poor performance by the Millonarios is not only affecting the moral of the team and the fans, but also the right to play in international competitions. For the past seventeen years, River has been part of the tournament. The most memorable victory in this span of years was the 1996 Libertadores Championship obtained by Enzo Francescoli, Marcelo Salas, Ariel Ortega, Marcelo Gallardo, Matias Almeyda, and Hernan Crespo. That night can also be considered the greatest team welcome of the world, with flags, fireworks, and confetti galore.
Fast forward to 2009, and there are now slim chances of River qualifying for the tournament. The past few tournaments have demonstrated that River is in no shape to play this top-level tournament, and River’s current position in the standings is proof of that statement. At this point, River is in eighth place in the “qualifying-points stage”. The top five teams qualify, which would be the two tournament champions (Apertura and Clausura”, and the remaining three teams with the most tournament points. If there is any consolation, Boca Juniors is also at risk of not qualifying.
Only a miracle will help River reach the last spot, as long as the seven teams ahead lose all the time. There is still plenty of time for River to grab a spot but with the trend that the team has lately, things are looking real dim.
