Fagioli or Rocha? Unión's defensive dilemma after morning run-out v Cosmos

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·2 September 2026

Fagioli or Rocha? Unión's defensive dilemma after morning run-out v Cosmos

Unión continues to step up its preparation work, and this Tuesday it held a formal football practice match against Cosmos, a team from the Santa Fe League. Head coach Leonardo Madelón took advantage of the morning session to give playing time and assess alternatives within the group of players who do not usually form part of the starting lineup.

The preparatory match was played in two 35-minute halves at the Casa Unión training ground. The final score was a commanding 5-0 in favor of El Tatengue, giving the coaching staff reassurance about the competitive condition and rhythm of the professional squad’s backups.

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The doubt ahead of the visit to Instituto: Fagioli or Rocha?

The friendly could be a sign that Tomás Fagioli will start against Instituto following the abrupt departure of Maizon Rodríguez. In any case, Uruguayan defender Rocha is also on the radar; it was possibly decided not to take any risks with the Uruguayan center-back, who is still working his way back physically. Meanwhile, after MauroLunaDiale's injury was confirmed, his place in the team will be taken by Nacho Malcorra.

The match’s goalscorers

Eric Ramírez: Scored twice (2 goals), reinforcing his intention to fight for a place in the coach’s plans.
Valentín Cerrudo: Also scored twice (2 goals), making the most of his minutes on the pitch in front of the coaching staff.
Tomás Fagioli: Rounded out the rout with a finish to seal the team’s fifth goal.

The alternative lineup fielded by Madelón

The coach put out a starting eleven made up of the following names:

Lucas Meuli; Nazareno Fazzi, Tomás Fagioli, Mateo Aimar and Bruno Pittón; Santiago Grella, Santino Vera, Mateo Peresutti and Misael Aguirre; Eric Ramírez and Valentín Cerrudo.

A positive balance with the tournament in sight

The session produced a highly favorable outcome for the coaching staff thanks to the team’s attacking efficiency and defensive solidity, which allowed them to keep a clean sheet. These minutes are key for the tactical alternatives to maintain their competitive rhythm while the first team prepares for its next match against league leaders Instituto of Córdoba, a game that will be officiated by Nicolás Lamolina.

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