This year has been a turbulent one in the world of Argentina’s five Grandes. Or for three of that select group, at least.
While River Plate and Racing Club have had their troubles on the field from time to time fans overall have had little to complain about, with both involved this week in the quarter-finals of the Copa Libertadores and gearing up to meet soon at the same stage in the Copa Argentina. Such heady heights are the stuff of dreams for the rest of the quintet, though Boca Juniors at least seem to have left behind their on-pitch crisis and righted the rudder. For San Lorenzo and Independiente, though, the future looks bleak indeed without serious changes in fortunes and, above all, administration.
The final straw for the Cuervo came in Friday’s 2-0 reverse to Racing in Avellaneda. Aside from a wholly discouraging performance, it was the presence of president Marcelo Moretti in El Cilindro which caused outrage. Moretti has been bouncing from scandal to scandal in the San Lorenzo hot seat over the course of 2025, most notably over hidden camera footage purportedly showing the supremo taking money in order to register young footballers in the club academy. No sooner had he returned from administrative leave in September than Moretti found himself accused of forging the signature of outgoing San Lorenzo general secretary Martín Cigna on the guest list for directors attending the Racing game. The club president left Avellaneda without uttering a word to reporters; it would prove to be almost his last act in charge of the club.
For in an incredible board meeting held on Tuesday, it all came crashing down. Those present – not including Moretti this time – effectively had to barricade themselves inside the Nuevo Gasómetro to prevent an invasion from a group of irate fans. Finally, 13 board members out of 20 presented their resignations, a move which dissolved Moretti’s administration and left San Lorenzo wholly without presiding authorities for the foreseeable future.
Desperate measures for desperate times, and a sign of just how loathed the president was after a catastrophic tenure that left the Cuervo decimated as a team, facing numerous FIFA embargoes for missed payments and a laughing stock for his alleged misdeeds. Director Pablo García Lago summed up sentiment for Moretti most succinctly upon resigning: “He’s a psychopath… myself included, this is San Lorenzo’s worst-ever administration.” The Cuervo will now be turned over to a Representative Assembly, tasked with seeing them through this crisis and calling elections within the next 90 days.
Just down the road from the site of Moretti’s last stand in Avellaneda, Independiente fans are taking note. Minus the corruption allegations the current board led by Lanús ex-mayor Néstor Grindetti is barely more popular than its erstwhile counterpart in Bajo Flores. The Rojo were ignominiously kicked out of the Copa Sudamericana after horrendous scenes of violence in August’s clash with Universidad de Chile and sit rock-bottom of their Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF) group without a win in seven games.
Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Banfield was the end for coach Julio Vaccari, with Gustavo Quinteros the top target after his impressive Vélez tenure. But many fans are looking higher up at the boardroom, with massive protests against Grindetti and Co following that last defeat. The next elections at Independiente are scheduled for 2026, but that feels like too far off for a sizeable group who will only be emboldened by the revolution that toppled Moretti.
Whatever the outcome, we can but hope these two giant clubs get their acts together and start competing again where they belong, to the benefit of Argentine football as a whole. We should also count our blessings: in precious few countries can fans make their voices heard and, through protest, insults and impressive knowledge of statutory procedure remove an ineffective or corrupt board.
It’s not perfect, but it’s democracy in action, and worth protecting.
