Unión in turmoil: full squad, tactical doubts, Madelón's future v Defensa | OneFootball

Unión urgently needs to get back on track. After suffering three straight defeats against Talleres, Independiente and Boca, the team has been plunged into a deep footballing crisis that has set off every alarm bell. The next challenge in trying to turn things around will come on Friday at 9:45 p.m., when they host Defensa y Justicia.

Amid this difficult scenario, Leonardo Madelón received at least one piece of good news to start the week of training: he has the full squad available, with no injuries and no suspended players.

The head coach will have all his options at hand to plan what looms as a crucial match to regain confidence and get back to picking up points. Even so, having everyone available does not guarantee automatic solutions for the coach. On the contrary, the heavy defeat suffered at La Bombonera once again exposed the clear structural problems that El Tatengue has been dragging around for some time.

A rebuild that is not finding answers

At the end of the loss against Boca, Madelón publicly pointed to one of the main factors behind this slump: the difficulties in rebuilding the squad after the significant departures in the last transfer window.

In his comments, the coach also addressed questions about his future. The run of three consecutive defeats has not only worn down the team’s overall performance, but also raised doubts about the viability of his tenure in charge.

Against El Xeneize, the coach tried to shake things up with a tactical change: Ignacio Malcorra came in for Lucas Menossi and Mauro Luna Diale replaced Marcelo Estigarribia. However, the tactical gamble was far from producing the desired results.

The team led by Rodolfo Arruabarrena controlled the match from start to finish, dictated the tempo, and created the clearest scoring chances. Had it not been for their poor finishing, Boca’s margin of victory could have been even greater. Unión, by contrast, offered virtually no attacking threat and paid a very heavy price for its alarming lack of answers on the pitch.

The questions and alternatives the coach is weighing

Looking ahead to the clash against Defensa y Justicia, questions extend across every line of the team. In defense, the replacement options are limited, although Bruno Pittón emerges as a realistic alternative to replace Lucas Ayala, who struggled at La Bombonera and was repeatedly beaten.

Midfield looks like the area where Madelón could make the most changes. Joaquín Mosqueira left the field at halftime against Boca, and his performance will be closely evaluated during the week’s training sessions.

Among the alternatives, it is not ruled out that Emilio Giaccone could be given another chance from the start, while Lucas Menossi is pushing to win back his place in the starting lineup. If those changes do happen, the main candidates to leave the starting eleven are Brahian Cuello, Mauro Luna Diale or Ignacio Malcorra, in that order of priority.

Changes are also looming up front. Marcelo Estigarribia has a strong chance of returning to the starting lineup, while Eric Ramírez appears as another available option to freshen up the attack.

A return to the tactical basics?

Another option being considered by the coaching staff is to scrap the latest experiment and return to the traditional 4-4-2 formation. This setup would give the team the balance and solidity needed to look compact again, a virtue that has completely disappeared in recent matches.

Unión begins a decisive week full of doubts. There are names to change and tactical systems ready to be adjusted, but any move on the board remains conditioned by a bigger question mark: the decision Leonardo Madelón makes regarding his future on the Tatengue bench. The club needs to prepare for a crucial match, but first it must find some certainty. The advantage is that the coach has everyone available; the great dilemma is that he still has not found the team capable of weathering the storm.

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