Barrios and Rasmussen, on the brink of suspension at Colón | OneFootball

Colón not only returned from Caseros worried about Federico Lértora’s injury. The draw against Estudiantes de Buenos Aires also left Ezequiel Medrán with another concern: the disciplinary situation of his two starting center-backs.

Pier Barrios and Federico Rasmussen are both one booking away from suspension, as they each have four yellow cards and another caution would automatically rule them out for one match during a very demanding stretch of the championship.

This is no minor issue. Especially because Colón is about to face a tough run, with four of their next six matches away from Santa Fe — precisely the setting where they have had the most trouble maintaining their level and getting results.

While the Sabalero have looked solid and effective at the Brigadier López, they still have not managed to find consistency away from home. They have won just one away match in the tournament, and any absence could have a major impact on the team’s structure.

Barrios quickly became a defensive leader and has played 13 matches, with 1,161 minutes on the field and four bookings. Rasmussen, another key figure in the red-and-black back line, has also played in all 13 matches of the tournament and has logged 1,170 minutes.

In this context, the situation becomes even more significant because of the possible scenario involving Lértora. The captain went off injured in the first half against Estudiantes de Caseros and will undergo tests in the coming hours to determine the extent of the muscle issue in his adductor area.

If the midfielder is unavailable against Mitre de Santiago del Estero, Colón would lose one of its main leaders on and off the field. That is why keeping the center-back pairing available is shaping up as a priority for Medrán.

The coaching staff knows a decisive stage of the Primera Nacional is coming up and that the margin for error is getting smaller and smaller. So, in addition to thinking about the next opponent, people at Colón are also starting to do the math and keep a very close eye on the yellow cards.

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