Sampaoli: Scarpa benched, daily form decides Atlético line-up | OneFootball

Gustavo Scarpa's benching has drawn attention in Atlético's recent games. Since the 3-0 victory over Bahia on November 5th — the last time the midfielder started a match under Jorge Sampaoli's command — the player has lost his spot and has become a frequent option on the bench. On that occasion, Scarpa played only 45 minutes and was substituted at halftime.

Since then, Galo has played six matches, and the number 10 started all of them as a substitute. He has been on the field for only 119 minutes, averaging just over 19 minutes per game, a stark contrast to the period under Cuca's command, when he was a regular starter.

In Sampaoli's current second stint with the club, the coach has led Atlético in 22 matches (Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, and Copa Sudamericana). Scarpa was available for 20 — he was suspended for two — and started in only 10 of them.

Questioned after the defeat to Fortaleza, the Argentine explained the criteria guiding his decisions and justified why Scarpa has been overlooked.

Sampaoli also made a point of highlighting the midfielder's professionalism but reinforced that the choices align with what he has seen in training and with the team's structure in recent rounds.

While fighting to regain his spot, Scarpa remains an option for the creative sector. Atlético returns to the field this Wednesday (03), when they host Palmeiras at Arena MRV. With Rony's return (he served a suspension against Fortaleza), Scarpa might face another game on the bench.

For Galo, Scarpa has accumulated 129 games, with 12 goals scored and 24 assists provided.

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