Uncovering Buenos Aires: The Hidden Passion of Platense

In Buenos Aires, there are many derbies.
The biggest, of course, is Boca – River.
But San Lorenzo – Huracán, Nueva Chicago – All Boys, Atlanta – Chacarita Juniors, and Vélez Sarsfield – Ferro Carril Oeste are also highly recommended to visit.
What all these clubs have in common is that their derbies originated because the clubs were neighbors.
However, there is one derby where this is not the case: Platense – Argentinos Juniors. “We don’t have a derby,” Argentinos Juniors supporters often say.
Yet, for years, there was a mural on the side of the stadium showing The Simpsons tearing apart a squid.
Elsewhere in the neighborhood, you’ll find another mural where Homer is holding the creature while Bart stabs it with a knife.
The reason the squid is the victim is that it is the symbol of Platense.
In Saavedra, the neighborhood where Platense originally came from, painted squids are the ones committing acts of violence.
Their victims are ladybugs, the symbol of Argentinos Juniors.
Even though it’s not a geographical derby, the supporters deeply despise each other.
The reason is a match from 1980, where Diego Armando Maradona inflicted significant pain on Platense.
Back then, as now, the competition was divided into two parts.
It began with the Metropolitano, a normal league where everyone played each other once home and away.
River Plate won and became the first champion of the year.
Platense finished impressively in fourth place and started the Nacional, the second competition of the year, with high hopes.
The clubs were divided into four groups, with the top two advancing to the quarter-finals.
In Group D, Instituto was already certain to advance.
Platense was in second place, two points ahead of River Plate.
In the two-point system of the time, a single point in the final game would have been enough for Platense.
Their opponent in the last round was Argentinos Juniors, featuring Maradona, who had already secured their place in the quarter-finals.
Rumors swirled that River captain Daniel Passarella had asked Maradona, his teammate on the national team, to put in extra effort to defeat Platense and help River Plate.
There were even whispers that River had offered money to the Argentinos Juniors players to win.
Whatever the case, Maradona played brilliantly and was unstoppable.
Argentinos Juniors won, as did River, and Platense was eliminated.
After the match, chaos broke out between the barra bravas of both clubs.
Since then, there have been many clashes between the supporters of the two teams, and this match has always been highly charged—even today, without away fans.
Dolf and I are curious about this derby, which we’ll attend with Tobias from Homefans and his girlfriend.
Boca Juniors is also playing today, drawing most tourists, but we’re not the only ones in our group.
An English couple has also chosen this game over La Bombonera.
They’re on their honeymoon traveling through South America and, as football fans, they’re trying to catch a match in every country.
Before the match, we meet in Saavedra.
This is a neighborhood in northern Buenos Aires where Platense played from 1917 until the 1970s, when the Estadio Ciudad de Vicente López opened in 1979.
But Saavedra is still the heart of the club.
In the middle of the neighborhood is a park with a market on Sundays.
We see supporters everywhere wearing Platense’s distinctive brown shirts.
We grab a drink at one of the many cafés around the park.
With the sun shining, it’s a lovely spot to relax.
But the match awaits, so we walk to the stadium, about a 15-minute walk away.
The Estadio Ciudad de Vicente López is right next to the ring road that marks the border between the city and the province of Buenos Aires.
Officially, Platense is no longer a city club as it now plays just outside the city limits.
Even here, everything feels calm despite it being the most important game of the year.
Dolf and I don’t expect much chaos but are pleasantly surprised.
Inside, the atmosphere is intense, with plenty of pyro and a tifo display.
Fans climb the fences, and the chanting continues throughout the match.
Platense winning, thanks to a brilliant goal, is the cherry on top of this afternoon.
Afterwards, Dolf and I both conclude that this is a great club to visit.
If you head to Saavedra beforehand, you’ll have a fantastic day at this club.
It’s not as wild as at Defensa y Justicia, but it’s quintessential Buenos Aires.
Neighborhood clubs like Platense are just as much a part of the city’s football culture as Boca Juniors or River Plate.Written by traveller and writer Joris vd Wier.
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