“Que se junten Estudiantes y River que son ricos me parece lógico, pero que se junten con Merlo que es pobre no, no lo entiendo y me parece una boludez,” declared Maximiliano Levy, president of Almirante Brown and prosecretary of the Argentine Football Association (AFA). Speaking during an interview on the YouTube streaming program Azzenso, his blunt assessment highlights an expanding political rift within Argentine football between the current AFA leadership and an emerging opposition bloc.

The controversy stems from an official tribute held ten days ago at the Monumental stadium, where River Plate hosted representatives from Argentino de Merlo to honor the Primera B club’s 120th anniversary. A plaque was presented to Martín Brieva, the president of Argentino de Merlo, in a gathering that brought together the directive boards of both institutions. The gesture was interpreted as a strategic maneuver by River Plate to establish alliances outside the top flight as part of a broader push to challenge the governance of AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia alongside Estudiantes de La Plata president Juan Sebastián Verón.

Clashing Over Alliances and Tournament Formats

Maximiliano Levy responded sharply to the burgeoning relationship during his appearance on Azzenso, criticizing Argentino de Merlo for aligning with Núñez. Beyond questioning the alliance between top-tier heavyweights and lower-division clubs, Levy targeted River Plate’s structural proposals for Argentine football, particularly the push to gradually reduce the Primera División format to 20 teams. Levy dismissed the championship reduction ideas, pointing to potential scheduling biases with Apertura and Clausura formats. “I would be an idiot if I said: ‘No, I want a 20-team championship’,” Levy stated, adding that his priority remains fighting for Almirante Brown and lower-income institutions. Stéfano Di Carlo had presented a critical document to the AFA proposing a gradual reduction in the number of teams, prompting Levy to argue that such a setup could benefit teams favored by fixture sequencing, noting that a club could become champion simply by playing their opening four matches and classics at home under average systems.

Merlo Fires Back at AFA Criticism

Argentino de Merlo president Martín Brieva answered the remarks swiftly through a series of WhatsApp status updates. Denouncing the rhetoric coming from the AFA official, Brieva wrote that his club accepted the anniversary recognition with pride while apparently committing the infraction of failing to seek prior permission. “Maxi Levy’s reaction was as elegant as it was clarifying: he called us ‘boludos’, reminded us that we are poor, and even forecast that we could end up playing in a category for which ‘the letter doesn’t reach’,” Brieva posted. He added that receiving a plaque from a rival institution had apparently become more hazardous than enduring a ten-match losing streak or navigating officiating controversies.

Unflinching Loyalty and Viral Comparisons

The exchange also prompted Levy to address broader criticisms regarding his steadfast loyalty to Claudio Tapia, including viral internet monikers. Addressing comparisons to Luciano Nakis—the Deportivo Armenio official who famously used a cold damp cloth on Tapia’s neck during an illness at the 2024 Copa América—Levy offered a blunt defense on Azzenso. Levy defended Nakis’s dedication before delivering an emphatic pledge regarding his own allegiance to the AFA leadership. “The truth is that to win, tomorrow I would dry Tapia’s balls with a towel. If I have to win a World Cup, too,” Levy said. Levy added that upon winning the elections at Almirante Brown, where he had been labeled a barrabrava, he was immediately subjected to an admission restriction, and that Chiqui Tapia was the only person who offered him assistance.

Coffee Invitations and Questions of Dignity

Closing his public rebuttal, Brieva revealed that he reached out to Levy by phone prior to issuing his statement, inviting him out for coffee. Brieva noted that the Almirante Brown president accepted cordially, prompting a final piece of local irony: “That’s fine, Maxi, you’ll pay for the coffee. You already explained to us that we are poor.” Brieva concluded his message by reaffirming his club’s identity: “And rest assured: we may be poor, but we have something that cannot be compared to anything or achieved with a position in the AFA: dignity and independence, and that is why since 1906 we are Merlo.”