River v Vélez: more than just three points on the line | OneFootball

The Millionaire faces a tough visit to Liniers with the need to change its image.

This Sunday, starting at 7:15 p.m., River Plate will visit Velez Sarsfield at the José Amalfitani Stadium for the sixth round of the 2026 Torneo Apertura. The Millionaire, coming off an unconvincing win against Ciudad de Bolívar, will try to improve its performance against a Fortín that remains unbeaten.

Last Tuesday, Marcelo Gallardo’s team advanced to the round of 32 in the Copa Argentina after a 1-0 win over Ciudad Bolívar thanks to a last-minute penalty by Juan Fernando Quintero. However, their performance still raised doubts after tough defeats against Tigre and Argentinos Juniors.

With seven points from five matches, River sits eighth in Zone B and needs to pick up points to climb both in its group and in the annual standings, which are key in the fight for a spot in the next Copa Libertadores.

Returns and possible changes

Gallardo regains important players: Franco Armani, Sebastian Driussi, and Marcos Acuna have been medically cleared. The goalkeeper and the left back have a strong chance of starting. Santiago Beltrán would give up his spot to Pulpo, while Matías Viña would be replaced by the world champion.

In attack, Facundo Colidio could come in for Maximiliano Salas, with Agustín Ruberto remaining among the starters. In defense, Paulo Díaz would continue, and in midfield, Aníbal Moreno, Fausto Vera, Tomás Galván, and Quintero would keep their places.

An unbeaten and strong Vélez at home

The team led by Guillermo Barros Schelotto is one of six unbeaten teams in the tournament. With three wins and two draws, they lead Zone A with 11 points. In Liniers, they have already beaten Talleres and Boca and will now look to repeat the feat against a wounded River.

Guillermo has managed 19 matches against the Millionaire with Lanús, Boca, and Vélez, with a negative record: four wins, seven draws, and eight losses. He also suffered two very memorable defeats in 2018: the Supercopa and the Libertadores final against his classic rival.

As for the team, Diego Valdes will miss out due to a minor tear in his right soleus, while Braian Romero is available again. The replacement for the Chilean will be decided between Rodrigo Aliendro and Lucas Robertone.

Probable lineups

River: Franco Armani or Santiago Beltrán; Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Paulo Díaz, Marcos Acuña; Aníbal Moreno, Fausto Vera, Tomás Galván; Juan Fernando Quintero; Maximiliano Salas or Facundo Colidio and Agustín Ruberto. Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.

Vélez: Álvaro Montero; Joaquín García, Emanuel Mammana, Lisandro Magallán, Elías Gómez; Claudio Baeza, Tobías Andrada, Rodrigo Aliendro or Lucas Robertone; Matías Pellegrini, Manuel Lanzini, and Florián Monzón. Coach: Guillermo Barros Schelotto.

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