Fernando Romero Nuñez Thursday’s match between Argentine football giants River Plate and Independiente Rivadavia ended in chaos after forward Sebastián Villa celebrated the last-minute winner in controversial fashion.
As soon as the full-time whistle sounded on a 2-1 Independiente victory that all but eliminated the Millionarios from title contention, a full brawl erupted in the middle of the pitch between members of both squads.
The clash was hotly contested. In the build-up to the game, Villa said he was “a Boca fan 100%” and admitted he was looking forward to scoring against River. The Colombian striker previously played for Boca Juniors from 2018 to 2023 when his contract was terminated upon receiving a two-year jail sentence for assaulting his former girlfriend. He later joined Independiente after being granted probation.
With the game tied 1-1, Villa dribbled past River defender Federico Gattoni and set up midfielder Ezequiel Ham for the winner. The goal was scored right in front of the River fans — who had been cleared by the Mendoza government to wear their clubs’ colors — and Villa celebrated by making a machine gun gesture with his hands.
After the game, Villa continued to mock the River supporters and players while he left for the dressing room, which prompted River’s Gonzalo Martínez and Leandro Gonzalez Pires to chase after him. The former caught up to the Colombian forward and the two continued their argument beneath the stands.
On the pitch, the scuffle continued asRiver head of security Diego Moreno received a punch to the face, forcing Millonario head coach Marcelo Gallardo to enter the pitch to pull his players away.
“Nothing justifies these kinds of situations,” said Gallardo after the game. “It happens when tempers are flared, but nothing justifies having to resort to violence, even when someone else acts poorly.”
Gallardo added that he lamented the whole situation and said players need to learn to keep the anger to themselves, even when the stakes are high.
Villa, for his part, was unapologetic.
“Those kinds of things stay on the pitch,” he told sports outlet ESPN after the game. “I only play football. These things happen.”
