River Plate's president said on Monday neither he nor coach Daniel Passarella will heed calls to resign, despite fan fighting at Monumental Stadium after the latest loss that all but mathematically eliminated the club from the Argentine soccer title race.
Team president Jose Aguilar said the outburst of violence was an isolated incident by enraged fans after Estudiantes beat River Plate 1-0 on Sunday in the 15th round.
"This kind of thing happens when the team doesn't win," said Aguilar, predicting irate fans would settle down when the team returns to winning.
Still, with only four rounds remaining, River has fallen to fifth place, nine points behind league-leading San Lorenzo.
A group of fans was seen on Sunday entering one of the club installations, shattering windows and clashing with police after the loss. Two police officers were reported injured, none seriously, in the latest outburst of violence plaguing Argentina.
Police reported no arrests, but critics called for a shakeup of the club, which Aguilar said he would vehemently resist.
The latest incident led the Argentine Interior Ministry to suspend use of the stadium for two matches this coming weekend.
Speaking to local reporters, Aguilar said only "200 people" were involved in the violence while 50,000 peacefully filled the stands at Monumental Stadium on game day.
Local reporters, however, said hundreds of fans were swept up in the violence and hundreds more looked on without taking part.
As a result of the fighting, Passarella canceled his normal post-game news conference, saying he was "not in a mood" to talk.
Aguilar, meanwhile, said angry calls for the two to resign were not "intelligent" and he vehemently defended Passarella as an "emblematic figure" and nearly a "trademark" at River Plate.
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