 | ||||
| Full name | Deportivo Riestra Asociación de Fomento Barrio Colón | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Blanquinegro (White and black) Los Malevos de Pompeya (The Malevos ofPompeya) | |||
| Founded | 22 February 1931; 94 years ago (1931-02-22) | |||
| Ground | Estadio Guillermo Laza | |||
| Capacity | 3,000 | |||
| President | Fernando Salorio | |||
| Coach | Gustavo Benítez | |||
| League | Primera División | |||
| 2024 | 17th | |||
 Current season | ||||
Deportivo Riestra Asociación de Fomento Barrio Colón,[1] also known asDeportivo Riestra, is anArgentinesports club fromBuenos Aires. The club is mainly focused onfootball. As of 2024, Deportivo Riestra plays in thePrimera División, the top tier of theArgentine league system. Aside from thefutsal team that plays in Primera D —the fourth tier division— Deportivo Riestra also has youth academy andwomen's teams competing in different tournaments and divisions.
The club headquarters are located in theNueva Pompeya neighbourhood, with Guillermo Laza Stadium ofVilla Soldati as venue for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 3,000.
Apart from football, Riestra is affiliated to the "Federación Metropolitana de Ajedrez" (Metropolitan Chess Federation).[2]
The origins of Deportivo Riestra trace back to 1929, when a group of youths fromNueva Pompeya formed a football team to compete in local tournaments. They became known as "the Riestra ones", due to the name of the avenue where they used to gather, right next to a milk store. On February 22, 1931, they formally founded the club, and they rented a place as headquarters later that year.[3]
Riestra affiliated to theArgentine Football Association in 1946, after negotiations by Pascual Trímboli, then president of the club and later head of department in the Association. TheBlanquinegro official debut was a 3–2 loss againstSan Telmo. Riestra played those years inPrimera C, but they were later transferred to the newPrimera D, becoming one of the founder squads of that division. In 1950 Riestra inaugurated its first stadium in theVilla Soldati neighbourhood.
Riestra won its first official tournament in 1953, asPrimera D champions. The Blanquinegro squad earned 39 points in 26 games, with a 2-point lead against Juventud de Bernal, in a tournament that also featuredAlmirante Brown andDeportivo Morón.[4] Deportivo Riestra stayed inPrimera C for the next two decades, but without any successful seasons the club was not close to promotion positions. An 18th place in 1963 would have meant relegation for them, but the annulment of relegations that year allowed the team to stay.[5][6] Riestra won the Reclasificación tournament in 1969, a playoff involving many teams trying to avoid relegation, which would be the only achievement for them in this spell inPrimera C.[7] In 1971 the club had its current name after merging with 'Asociación de Fomento Barrio Colón', an organization established in 1929 by businessmen and professionals that performed social activities and lobbied for improvements in the neighbourhood.
Riestra's performance changed in 1977, when theBlanquinegro achieved third place in thePrimera C tournament that, even when distance to championsSarmiento was 10 points, indicated a better shape in play.[8] However, the next seasons showed the team back in the last positions. Finally, Riestra finished last in the 1981 tournament and was relegated for the first time, in the same year that themilitary dictatorship took its stadium to build a highway.[9]
The return to Primera D wouldn't have Riestra in the top positions, but more frequently in the middle of the table. In 1986, after a restructuring ofAFA tournaments, a six-month season was played with promotion for the top six teams. Riestra qualified to the Final Round of the tournament after finishing third in its pool with 13 points, only one ahead of rivalsSacachispas. The Blanquinegro then won 4 out of 5 games in the Final Round, winning the tournament and promoting back toPrimera C.[10]
The following years were unstable for them, who were not able to keep their spot in Primera C after relegation in its first season back. Three seasons later, Riestra suffered its first (and so far only) disaffiliation after being last in Primera D averages. The season out of competition meant a revival for Riestra, that achieved success in the following season, qualifying for the playoff tournaments three years in a row. In the 1993–94 season, the Blanquinegro squad achieved to be runners-up of bothApertura and Clausura tournaments, and won the playoff championship after defeatingLamadrid 7–0 on aggregate.[11] andCañuelas 3–2 in the finals.[12] They achieved promotion to Primera C again with a campaign that starred Francisco Berscé as goalkeeper and Julio Sánchez as top scorer, with 19 goals.[13]
Back in Primera C, Riestra was again close to relegation, which was avoided after winning a playoff match 2–1 againstComunicaciones. The following seasons were successful, with two qualifications to playoff for promotion.[14][15] However, Riestra was not able to keep the good performance, and was relegated back toPrimera D in the 2001–02 season.[16] The Blanquinegro squad did not improve in the following years, and by 2005–06 was the second last average of the league, avoiding a new disaffiliation by just one point.[17] Riestra qualified again for playoffs in 2007–08 after 11 seasons, ending the championship in the ninth position.[18][19] The Malevos achieved a good performance again in the 2008–09 season, when they were runners-up just three points behind championsMidland. A few days later Riestra won the playoff tournament after defeatingArgentino de Quilmes 1–0 in the finals,[20] qualifying for the Promotion playoff againstPrimera C sideDefensores Unidos. After winning the first leg 3–2 at home,[21] Riestra lost 1–0 away and was not promoted on rules advantage for the highest tier team.[22]
During the following seasons Riestra achieved several good results, qualifying many times to the playoffs, though without getting promotion back toPrimera C. In 2011, Riestra became the first Primera D squad to qualify toCopa Argentina's Round of 32. The Blanquinegro side had a remarkable performance in the2011–12 tournament, in which defeatedMuñiz 1–0 in the First Round, and managed to driveLos Andes andAcassuso, twoPrimera B teams to goalless draws, qualifying onpenalty kicks.[23] In a historical draw, Riestra metQuilmes, then asecond division team, inSan Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, achieving a 0–0 tie and being eliminated only in thepenalty kicks.[24]
For the 2012–13 season a sponsor brought to the club an integral project for the development of football, building a semi-professional structure[25] assisted by the counselling ofDiego Maradona,[26] which generated an unprecedented publicity of the club in worldwide media.[27][28][29][30] The campaign in that season was again successful for the Blanquinegro, that became again runners-up of thePrimera D, after championsArgentino de Quilmes. Riestra was not able to promote after losing playoff finals toItuzaingó on penalty kicks after a 2–2 aggregate score.
A year later, the Blanquinegro squad achieved their secondPrimera D championship. They won 75 points, remaining unbeaten throughout the second round of the tournament, and with just 3 losses in the entire season.Jonathan Herrera, with 26 goals, became top scorer of thePrimera D championship and of allAFA tournaments combined.[31] The team also featuredJonathan Goya andBruno Maffoni as midfielders, with 31 games, andJorge Benítez in defence, in 30 games.[32] This promotion meant for Riestra their debut in professional football for the following season.[33][34]
The return toPrimera C would be successful for the Blanquinegro side, with very quick success. The 2014 season was played in a six-month spell with three promotions due to a new arrangement ofAFA tournaments. Surprisingly, Riestra achieved the second position in their pool, 3 points behind winnersDefensores de Belgrano, and aheadDock Sud. TheNueva Pompeya side qualified to the playoffs, where they first metExcursionistas, drawing 2–2 on aggregate and qualifying to the finals onpenalty kicks. Riestra metDock Sud in the finals and defeated them 4–1 on aggregate[35] to promote toPrimera B for the first time in history.[36] Riestra featuredGustavo Ruhl as goalkeeper in every match of the tournament, andGonzalo Peralta as defender in all but one games.[37]Jonathan Herrera scored 19 goals and became top scorer of all tournaments combined for the second season in a row.[38] The Blanquinegro squad thus achieved two promotions within one year, an accomplishment a few times seen in Argentine football.
Riestra's debut in Primera B Metropolitana came with success. They managed to defeat more experienced sides asPlatense[39] andAlmirante Brown,[40] and alsoBrown[41] andAlmagro,[42] the sides that would be promoted that season. These results drove the Blanquinegro side to the top positions of the tournament at the beginning, reaching third by the end of the first round. However, Riestra showed a poor performance in the second round that left them in the 14th position by the end of the season, thus missing playoffs[43] but managing to stay in the division, which was their initial goal. As a distinctive achievementJonathan Herrera became top scorer of allAFA tournaments for the third time in a row,[44] an unparalleled feat in modern Argentine football.
Regarding thecup competition the Blanquinegro side reached Round of 32 for the second time, in which they first met aPrimera División side, losing 3–1 toRosario Central.[45][46]
The Malevos signed many new players for the six-month2016 season, especially defenders,[47] with the objective of avoiding relegation once again. The results were not good at the beginning, with a 7 matches winless streak. After a coach change results improved and Riestra managed to win five games and stay inPrimera B for another season.
The team accomplished their best historical performance in the2016–17 league season, becoming runners-up of thePrimera B Metropolitana in their third season in the division. Riestra placed in the top positions since the beginning and was the top scorer team in the season, with 53 goals in 36 games, scoring more than three at home againstDefensores de Belgrano,[48]Platense[49] andTalleres,[50] and also away atAlmirante Brown[51] andColegiales.[52] In the playoffs, Riestra reached the finals after a home draw againstPlatense[53] and an aggregate 2–1 win againstDeportivo Español.[54] The finals featured 4th placed teamComunicaciones amidst some controversy due to a field invasion with five minutes to go, allegedly by a Riestra player,[55] and also other regulation breaches reported by rivals and the press.[56]AFA upheld some of the accusations while dismissed others, and decided continuation of the match in a neutral field, and several penalties for Deportivo Riestra, including a 20-point deduction the following season,[57][58] later reduced to 10 points on an appeal.[59] The match went on a few days later with a Blanquinegro victory 2–1, which were promoted to thesecond division for the first time in their history.[60]
The Blanquinegro squad also achieved their best in thecup competition of the season, reaching the Round of 16 for the first time after defeatingTigre onpenalty kicks,[61] before being eliminated once again byRosario Central.[62]
The team had some remarkable matches in theirPrimera B Nacional debut, including victories against the top three teams in the competition:Aldosivi,[63]Almagro[64] andSan Martín.[65] Despite their campaign, that would have had the team qualified to the Reducido, Riestra ended the season in the relegation zone due to the 10-point deduction related to previous season incidents. The club made an appeal at theCourt of Arbitration for Sports, which agreed to take the case, an unprecedented event in Argentine football.[66] After a negative decision from the Court, Riestra was relegated back toPrimera B Metropolitana for the next season.[67]
Riestra kept the roster mostly unchanged back inthe third division, completing a 17-match undefeated strike that made them lead the tournament.[68] However, 4 defeats in a row took them down to the sixth position. After a change in management and the return ofJonathan Herrera back from loan,[69] theNueva Pompeya squad would complete another set of 11 matches without losses,[70] including two victories against derby rivalsSacachispas.[71][72] The Blanquinegros clinched a spot in the nextPrimera B Nacional season after finishing fourth in the league.[73] Riestra'sGonzalo Bravo was the top goalscorer of the tournament, with 20 goals in the season.[74]
Back to second division, Riestra reached the fourth position in Zone B of the2019–20 season when the tournament was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Argentina. A reduced2020 season was played when football tournaments resumed, with Riestra defeatingTemperley[75] andDeportivo Morón[76] in the knockout rounds before losing toPlatense in the quarterfinals.[77]The following season the Blanquinegro side wouldn't meet success, finishing 15th out of 17 teams in Zone A.[78] Riestra improved their performance in the2022 season, reaching the 11th spot, though they were knocked out early in the Reducido againstEstudiantes (Río Cuarto).[79]
The2023 Primera Nacional tournament started with Riestra struggling to reach top positions, which led to coachCristian Fabbiani being replaced.[80] After mid-season player transfers,Walter Acuña returned for a second spell at the club, while goalkeeperIgnacio Arce and defenderNahuel Iribarren signed to improve the squad.[81] The Blanquinegros then started to hike positions in Zone B, and after hiringMatías Módolo as coach Riestra qualified for the Torneo Reducido. After an undefeated spell knocking outSan Martín de Tucumán,Quilmes andAlmirante Brown, Deportivo Riestra achieved an unprecedented promotion toPrimera División for the first time in history from next season after defeatingDeportivo Maipú in the final.[82]
Deportivo Riestra’s debut season in theArgentine Primera División began with the2024 Copa de la Liga Profesional, in which the club drew 0–0 away toInstituto, earning its first-ever point in Argentina’s top flight on the opening matchday. On matchday five, againstVélez Sarsfield, Riestra scored its first top-division goal, converted byMauro Ortiz. The following round saw El Malevo claim its first victory, defeatingAtlético Tucumán 1–0 with a goal byMilton Céliz. On 15 March, Riestra secured a 1–0 home win overIndependiente, with a goal byPedro Ramírez, marking its first victory against one of the so-called“big five” clubs in Argentine football. Riestra finished the Copa de la Liga in the lower positions of its group with 13 points and therefore failed to advance to the quarter-finals.
In its first participation in thePrimera División championship, Riestra won its opening match 1–0 against local rivalSan Lorenzo, with a goal byJonathan Herrera. The team achieved several historic victories, including a 2–0 win overRiver Plate on matchday five. As a result, the black-and-white side recorded three wins against members of the Argentine “big five” during its debut season in the top tier.[83]The campaign continued with mixed results, highlighted by Riestra’s strong home form, which made it the best-performing home team in the league. This achievement contrasted sharply with its poor away record, as the club failed to win any matches on the road.[84]Riestra ended the season without victories in its final nine matchdays, which caused it to drop out of the top positions, although it faced no risk of relegation due to the suspension of relegations decreed by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for that season.
The club from the Pompeya neighborhood approached the2025 Argentine Primera División season with largely the same squad as the previous year. El Malevo maintained its home strength, remaining unbeaten and extending its run to become the longest in the club’s history.[85]In theApertura Tournament, the team finished fifth in Zone B, qualifying for the knockout stage, where it was eliminated byHuracán in the round of 16.[86]In the2025 Copa Argentina, Riestra achieved its best-ever performance in the competition, advancing through two rounds before being eliminated, once again in the round of 16, byRacing Club.[87]
Riestra improved its performance in theClausura Tournament, leading its group for several matchdays[88] and achieving a landmark victory overRiver Plate at theEstadio Monumental.[89]The team set two defensive records: it completed a 27-match unbeaten run at home, which ended after one year and five months with a defeat againstIndependiente;[90] and, also at home, it recorded 11 consecutive matches without conceding a goal, the fourth-best such streak in the history of Argentine football.[91]The season once again concluded in the round of 16, this time with a defeat toBarracas Central.[92]Deportivo Riestra finished sixth in the aggregate table, which secured qualification for the2026 Copa Sudamericana, marking the club’s first-ever appearance in international competition.[93]
Deportivo Riestra's kit has traditionally been black and white vertical stripes, aligned with the club's colours, which were taken from the ancient El Trueno (Spanish forThe Thunder) team, who lent old kits to Riestra in their beginnings. Starting in 2012, with the arrival of a new sponsor, Riestra wears black shirts with white details.
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsors |
|---|---|---|
| 1980–83 |  Uribarri | (None) |
| 1984–87 | Hojalata Nor-Pa S.A. | |
| 1987–90 | Alfajores Guaymallén | |
| 1990–92 | Transportes DM | |
| 1992–93 |  Uhlsport | |
| 1993–94 | Ranking | |
| 1994–95 | Apache Jeans & Jackets | |
| 1995–96 | D-Tap | Farmacia Real |
| 1996–97 | Sportlandia | Santín Seguros |
| 1997–99 | Farmacia Real | |
| 1999–00 | Kalong | Dol-Out Spray |
| 2000–01 | Don Balón | |
| 2001–02 | Mebal | Futbol5.tv |
| 2002–03 | Iponoo | Transportes Imaz |
| 2003–04 | La Nueva Seguros | |
| 2004–06 | Dana | |
| 2006–07 | AM Sport | |
| 2007 | Adidas | NEC |
| 2008 | Dana | |
| 2008–09 | For Export | Tao-it |
| 2009–11 | Dana | La Nueva Seguros |
| 2011–12 | KDY | Kainos |
| 2012–13 | Speed Unlimited | |
| 2013–present | Adidas |
Deportivo Riestra own the Guillermo Laza stadium, where they send their home matches. Located in theVilla Soldati neighbourhood inBuenos Aires, it has a capacity is 3,000 in its three stands, one of which is for seating. Its facilities include press cabins, training field and indoor stadium.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonathan Herrera | 2013–17, 2019 | 104 | |
2 | Gonzalo Bravo | 2014– | 40 | |
3 | Diego Díaz | 1987–89 | 33 | |
4 | Fernando Peralta | 1922–32 | 31 | |
5 |  Christian Buglione | 2008–12 | 29 |
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jonatan Goya | 2008–19, 2021– | 279 | |
2 | Mauricio Soto | 2009, 2014– | 214 | |
3 | Leandro Freyre | 2009–17 | 205 | |
4 | Leandro Moreyra | 2010–19 | 187 | |
5 | Gustavo Benítez | 2013– | 180 |
Besides professional football, Deportivo Riestra is home to a Reserves team and amateur youth teams, both withinAFA and local tournaments. Riestra also fields a team in the official Senior Tournament.[95]
Riestra started practisingfutsal in 2012 inAFA second division.[96] After a spell in their participation, the club resumed the team in 2017 at Primera D, fourth division in the futsal league system.[97] Riestra's futsal section also has Reserves and youth teams.
Deportivo Riestra has traditionally had achess section, affiliated to the Metropolitan Chess Federation,[2] and more recently the Copa Cultura AFA, which they won in 2017.[98][99] The club's headquarters also host recreational sports and activities such asboxing,roller skating,martial arts,yoga andtango, and a retirees club.[100]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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