🤔Positive or negative? River's pre-season in review | OneFootball

Just five days before their official debut against Barracas Central in the Torneo Apertura, River Plate concluded their preseason with a bittersweet balance. Although Marcelo Gallardo's team kept a clean sheet in their two matches against Millonarios and Peñarol, the lack of effectiveness in the opponent's area raises alarms in Núñez: the "Millonario" only scored one goal, and it was from the penalty spot.

The Good News: Security and Reinforcements

The most commendable aspect of the preparation was the defensive order. The young Santiago Beltrán, who is expected to start due to the absences of Armani and Centurión, performed excellently. Additionally, the three new signings — Fausto Vera, Aníbal Moreno, and Matías Viña — showed a quick adaptation, bringing hierarchy and leadership to the midfield and left flank. Moreover, the freshness of young players like Ian Subiabre and Santiago Lencina emerges as a real alternative given the lack of options.

The Concern: Firepower

The main doubt lies in the playmaking and offensive weight. After the departure of Franco Mastantuono, the team has lost creativity, leaving forwards like Driussi, Salas, and Colidio with few scoring opportunities. With only Agustín Ruberto as a natural target man, Gallardo will have to decide if the current squad is enough to compete for the title or if the lack of a game-changing winger will weigh on the tournament's progress.

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

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