Rigoni returns to starting XI, aims to end goal drought | OneFootball

One of the surprises in São Paulo's lineup for the start of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores against LDU, Emiliano Rigoni has been on a goalless streak for over six months.

The Argentine, signed on the last day of the transfer window, hasn't found the back of the net since January 31st of this year, when he was still defending León, from Mexico.

On that occasion, he scored in the 2-1 victory over Mazatlán, in the Mexican Championship. The drought also extends to assists.

The last direct involvement in a goal was on March 30th, when he made a decisive pass against Pumas, also in the Mexican league.

In addition, in the last two years, Rigoni has played 29 games (11 for Austin, from the United States, and 18 for León) with only two goals and one assist.

The performance contrasts with the expectation created in his first stint with Tricolor, when he was decisive in knockout stages under the command of Hernán Crespo.

The drought comes at a delicate moment for São Paulo, which is suffering from a series of offensive sector absences. With Calleri, André Silva, Lucas, and Ryan Francisco out due to injury, and Ferreirinha far from ideal physical form, Crespo needs to find alternatives to maintain the team's competitiveness.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.