The first of those eight matches is on Saturday against Rosario Central for the local tournament. The month will have several important matches and trips to other countries
This Saturday, March 29, River will face Rosario Central at the Monumental, kicking off four weeks of competition without rest. From that match against Canalla until the Superclásico on April 27, 29 days will pass in which Muñeco's team will play five matches of the Torneo Apertura and the three group stage matches of the Copa Libertadores.
In that time frame, the local tournament begins to define the qualifiers for the "knockout" phase, so each of the five matches that "El Más Grande" has will be key to securing their presence in the next stage and, why not, a draw as accessible as possible. Currently, River is third in Zone B of the Torneo Apertura 2025, just two points behind the leaders, Independiente and Rosario Central.
Meanwhile, the first three clashes for Libertadores are tough, as River will play two away in countries that require long trips, Lima and Quito, and one at home without an audience due to the Conmebol sanction for the reception against Mineiro in the last edition.
The first matches of the year for Millonario didn't meet the expectations caused by the summer transfer market. The poor performances with few goals, including the negative streak of not scoring in the first halves that was broken against Ciudad de Bolívar, and the penalty shootout loss to Talleres in the International Super Cup raise many doubts about a future that looks challenging for the Núñez team.
Starting Saturday, River will have a streak of eight matches in a month, ending with the classic against Boca, which will be crucial to define their aspirations in the first half of the year.
The break for the FIFA date allowed Marcelo Gallardo to give his players a rest and recover some injured ones. The start of the season didn't have the expected level and added more absences than desired, so the goal is to have most of the squad ready to face a decisive stretch that begins next weekend.
