River Plate head coach Eduardo “Chacho” Coudet will step down from his post after the club was ousted from the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 against Colombia’s Independiente Santa Fe on Wednesday.

The news was confirmed Thursday in a press conference at the Monumental Stadium attended by Coudet, club president Stefano Di Carlo, and manager Enzo Francescoli.

“We didn’t have a good start to the second half of the year, and we knew from the start that things at River were unsustainable if results don’t go your way,” Coudet said, adding that he will continue to “root from the outside.” He also praised the team, saying that they will “win many championships for the club.”

Leonardo Ponzio will serve as interim head coach.

The Millonario, which just went through its worst start to a season since 1911 with five straight defeats, was eliminated on Wednesday on penalties 8-7 after tying 1-1 on aggregate. 

Amidst a heated atmosphere at the Monumental Stadium, filled with jeers, insults, and whistles from the crowd, the game actually started River’s way. 

Striker Sebastián........

© Buenos Aires Herald