Gallardo set to shake up River with return of internationals | OneFootball

All those who were called up will rejoin River Camp this Thursday, and the coach, who needs to break the losing streak, will evaluate them to determine their presence on Saturday. Marcos Acuña is the main concern.

Amid turbulent days due to a sporting crisis that deepens with each match, Marcelo Gallardo will get a much-needed breath of fresh air this Thursday afternoon, aiming to face the crucial match against Talleres in the best possible way: the players called up for the FIFA break are returning to River Camp.

After the defeat to Sarmiento with a depleted squad and, consequently, a relatively improvised team (Thiago Acosta, an attacking midfielder, played as a central midfielder, for example), the coach will once again have the six players called up to their national teams: Gonzalo Montiel, Marcos Acuña, Lautaro Rivero, Kevin Castaño, Juan Fernando Quintero, and Matías Galarza.

Starting from that base and adding that Juan Portillo has already served his suspension, the outlook for Saturday’s lineup is much more encouraging. And it’s no wonder, in the midst of a negative spiral where the Millonario has lost six of the last seven matches and needs to bounce back, especially thinking about the annual standings (currently third, in the playoff zone).

Awaiting updates from the training session, which will be key for Gallardo to assess the players’ condition, the coaching staff will begin shaping the plan against Talleres. From the outset, it’s likely that almost half the team will be new compared to those who lost to Sarmiento at the Monumental.

If everything goes as expected, Montiel, Rivero, Portillo, Castaño, and even Quintero are set to return to the starting lineup. The big question is Marcos Acuña, who didn’t play a single minute during Argentina’s tour due to a physical issue.

“El Huevo” was substituted at halftime in the loss to Rosario Central after taking a blow to one of his knees from a hard foul that went unpunished. Lionel Scaloni’s call-up was already confirmed, and the left-back traveled despite not being 100% fit. That’s why he didn’t play a single minute and raised the question: will he be ready to play against Talleres?

On the other hand, River’s coaching staff can once again count on Jeremías Ledesma and Gonzalo Martínez for the visit to Talleres. The goalkeeper has recovered from lower back pain, and Pity, from another muscle tear. It’s possible he could be called up after a year plagued by physical problems.

Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Lautaro Rivero, Marcos Acuña or Milton Casco; Giuliano Galoppo, Juan Portillo, Kevin Castaño; Juan Fernando Quintero; Maxi Salas and

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