Franco Armani could equal a historic record held by a River legend

This Saturday, River will visit Independiente at the Libertadores de América for the fourth round of the Torneo Clausura with the goal of becoming the leader of Zone B. However, beyond the collective context, the match has a special significance for Franco Armani, since if he manages to keep a clean sheet, he will reach his 29th shutout in clásicos against the five giants of Argentine soccer.

At 38 years old (83.8 pounds) and with over six seasons as the starting goalkeeper for the Millonario, the Pulpo has established himself as one of the most outstanding goalkeepers in the club's history. So far, he has accumulated 28 clásicos without conceding a goal out of 53 played, a record that puts him close to an achievement that only three club legends have managed to reach.

One step away from matching a River legend

The goalkeeper Armani is about to catch up with is Ubaldo Matildo Fillol, who achieved 30 shutouts in 84 matches against the giants. What is impressive about the current Millonario goalkeeper is that he could match that figure with 31 fewer matches: his 53% effectiveness in clásicos is far superior to the 36% of the former World Cup-winning goalkeeper in 1978.

Further down the historical table is Amadeo Carrizo, the absolute leader with 47 clásicos without conceding goals, a figure that seems distant but not impossible if River's current goalkeeper extends his career for a few more years.

A place among the greatest in history

Beyond the clásicos, Armani also recently surpassed Fillol in another key area: in May, he reached 155 total shutouts wearing River's jersey, surpassing Pato's 153. In that list, only Carrizo surpasses him, with 175.

In addition to his solidity between the posts, Armani is the fourth most successful goalkeeper in the history of Argentine soccer, with titles such as the Copa Libertadores, the Recopa Sudamericana, the Supercopa Argentina, leagues, and several national cups. A career full of achievements that next weekend could add a new milestone to further expand his legacy.