It was a bitter cup debut for Platense. Far from the expectations and illusions of its people. Beyond the party in the stands and the grit on the playing field, Calamar lost 2 to 0 against Corinthians and started with the left foot his way in his first Copa Libertadores. Even so, the 25,000 fans present at the Ciudad de Vicente López stadium did not stop cheering on a historic day, full of mixed feelings due to the adverse result. It was the explosion of the humble against the powerful, who throughout ninety minutes showed more hierarchy and did not forgive the goal situations they had.
Platense and Corinthians had never faced each other, not even in friendlies. And the international invitation generated surprise presences this Thursday, such as that of Ramón Díaz -DT who was in Timao recently-. There were the usual flags and hats made for the occasion, elegant and creative. Platense took this match as a red carpet entrance to the Copa Libertadores, especially because of the path taken. Just five years ago he was promoted to First Division. In 2025 he had the pleasure of being champion of the Apertura tournament and his first match in the most prestigious Conmebol competition in 2026 had a lot to be proud of, but it ended losing to Corinthians 2-0. On top of that, right back Juan Saborido ended up being sent off, after a VAR review for hitting Matheus Bidu.
Platense was the owner of the first half and even at the beginning of the second he had two very good chances to reach the goal, but the goalkeeper Hugo Souza He ended up as one of the figures, deflecting two headers, the first from Lencina and the second from the center back Vázquez. In return, the rival number 8 (who is Argentine and plays as a 10) appeared with two touches to enable his teammates and define the match: Rodrigo Garro first enabled Kayke and then to Yuri Alberto with two subtle left-footed touches to make the difference. And it had also been Garro who enabled Yuri Alberto in the clearest chance of the first stage, the only one for the visitor. It was a Brazilian team where they are Jesse Lingard (entered just at the end) and Memphis Depay (he did not travel due to being injured), but the main hierarchy was provided by an Argentine support.
It weighed heavily on Platense to experience the sensation of the first time in the top continental tournament. Those songs that quickly turned into a grateful prayer as soon as the referee declared the end of the game, provided, at the time of emotional expressions, an exact reflection of what had happened on the grass of the Ciudad de Vicente López stadium. Platense lost without reproaching himself. He did his best and was competitive while maintaining order. Although the unobjectionable triumph of the powerful Corinthians does not give rise to much football analysis, it does force us to delve in the night that will be marching on fire in the timeline.
It was 121 years waiting for this moment. A whole life summarized perfectly in an old flag hanging over the popular one that faces General Paz Avenue: “Never die. Never give up”. That phrase seems to be the law that unites them and gives them strength. The one that after 22 years of striving for promotion led him to win the league in 2025 and the one that today allows him to play in the most important cup, the one that River, Racing, Independiente or San Lorenzo do not play. Because as the endearing Pole Goyeneche sang it in the tango orange tree in bloom: “first you have to know how to suffer…” And he suffered: this first cup adventure does not seem to be easy at all.
Reason why everyone wanted to be there to live it from the soul. From the champion technical duo, Favio Orsi and Sergio Gomez, even the unburied ghosts, the glories of the past, the usual lifers, the kids from Barrio Miter, the modern idols, the symbols and myths of Saavedra. Not one was left without sensitized skin and a pounding heart: “Now I can die in peace,” exclaims Pedro, 94 years old. “I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything again,” he adds. As will also happen to Fausto, just 8 years old, with the passage of time. “I don’t forget anymore,” he comments.
From early on, the Zapiola bridge was transformed into an open-air shopping center: Pilusos hats at $20,000, scarves at $15,000 and official brand imitation t-shirts at $30,000. Everything sold faster than the choripanes and the hamburgers. “Today I save the month,” Oscar, the sexagenarian salesman, dared to predict.
Not to mention what the team’s reception was like the moment they stepped onto the pitch. Nothing was heard over the roar of the people. Not a single fan was left to stop and sing and be moved to tears. From the popular Goyeneche, it quickly spread in the form of a prayer: “Let’s go Platense, we have to win.” Up to 600 São Paulo fans located on the popular Julio Cozzi watched, amazed, so much passion and so much color. Not a corner of the stadium was left undecorated with the legendary flags: “From Saavedra to the continent” and “Children from Barrio Miter present.”
Behind all that labyrinth of passions that football encloses and awakens, there were ninety minutes played in intensity and loaded with expectations. Obviously, pushed by people, it was the local team who quickly assumed the role, who took possession of the ball and who cornered their rival in the opponent’s field. He cared little about having one of the most powerful clubs on the continent in front of him, with a team valued at 154,300,000 million euros.according to the Transfermarkt site. Something that places it as the 4th team with the highest market value in the current Copa Libertadores, only below Flamengo, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro. To get an idea of the enormous economic differences that exist between one team and another, only the value of its two most sought-after men, Yuri Alberto (25 million) and Breno (22 million), double the total cost of the entire Platense team (28,000,300).
However, that local superiority that had existed during the first forty-five minutes changed drastically in the second half and was a hard blow for all Calamares fans. That ephemeral dominance was of no use, as the local team suggested in the first minutes. When he relied on the superiority he generated in the middle of the field and goal situations began to arrive, he became careless defensively and left spaces for the fast Brazilian forwards.
So, after seven minutes, Striker Kayke received a good deep pass from Argentine Rodrigo Garro on the left side of the area and, before goalkeeper Borgogno was bailing, he scored to make it 1-0.
“The feelings are ambiguous. The team was up to par for most of the game, they fought and created goal situations. The result is a shame after all the partying that was experienced in the stands,” Walter Zunino, coach of Platense, said after the game.
With wounded souls and broken throats, the Calamares fans continued their party and sought to spread optimism to their players. However, the reaction – from the playing field – did not materialize. At 25 minutes, Another filtered pass from Garro left Yuri Alberto one on one, who defined strongly and crossed to make it 2-0. At that moment what was a party in the stands was transformed into a cruel silence due to the complaint of a fan. And that madness that nestled in the squid hearts for much of the historic day disappeared in lukewarm applause and disenchanted songs that marked a return home with a mixture of pride and sadness.
