Elijah Gomez as left back and Thomas Pochettino as a midfielder will be the only additions that Marcelo Gallardo will include in the team River that this Saturday (from 7:15 p.m., on Fox Sports Premium) will face Union in Santa Fe for the first date of Professional League Cup. The injuries of Paraguayan Robert Rojas and Agustín Palavecino hastened the time of the coach who prefers to insert new players little by little and give priority to those who were already on the squad. Juan Fernando Quintero and Esequiel Barco will go to the bench and they may have a few minutes.
Armani; Casco, Paulo Díaz, Martínez and Elías Gómez, Simón, Enzo Pérez, Enzo Fernández, Pochettino, Paradela and Julián Alvarez It would be the initial formation of this ornate version of River. With that luxury bench that most Argentine soccer coaches should envy. The idea was to strengthen themselves thinking about the Cup and the hypothetical crosses with the Brazilian teams from the round of 16. With at least two top players in each position to broaden and deepen Gallardo’s variations when, Since April and for six consecutive weeks, the League Cup and the Libertadores will coexist on the agenda.
The ideal formation of the coach will depend on the moment that each player expresses in training and in matches and also on the circumstances surrounding the team and the fatigue and injuries that accumulate. “I’m going to rotate a lot” anticipated Gallardo. But there is no doubt that in any draft, Franco Armani will be the starting goalkeeper at the local and international level. There is no possible competition between him and the other two goalkeepers on the squad (Ezequiel Centurión and Franco Petroli). Then, line by line, this is the panorama.
Defending: Rojas, Paulo Díaz, Martínez and Casco have earned the title on the field and for now, they are ahead in Gallardo’s eyes. But they cannot be neglected. Elías Gómez entered very well against Velez and will fight for a place on the left side. Herrera, Mamanna and González Pires started from behind, as did the experts Maidana and Pinola.
Midfield: Those who came playing last year are also a priority for now. Santiago Simón is a personal bet of Gallardo that gave him results and that he will continue to have minutes on the field. Enzo Perez is immovable and the other Enzo (Fernández) has also made the cut. But there, in the middle and on the left, the competition will be very tough between theThe Uruguayan De la Cruz, Pochettino, Palavecino, “Juanfer” Quintero and Barco entered very well the time they were against Vélez. The feeling is that sooner rather than later, Quintero and Barco will start. But they will have to play a lot to earn that place.
Attack: Gallardo said on Thursday that he is looking for a striker and think of Valentín Castellanos, the Argentine from the City Group. But he is very expensive. Meanwhile and until June, nobody moves Julian Alvarez. Matías Suárez will be on a par with his teammates in a month and maybe he will be ready for the Cup. If Gallardo decides to play with two strikers, the Cordovans are in a position to put together a very spicy pairing. As long as the idea is to play with Alvarez at the top and with the midfielders coming from behind, Suarez will have a few minutes like Braian Romero, who will have to take full advantage of what he gets in this recharged River where football seems to be falling out of his pockets.