River players on a yellow card tightrope could miss the Superclásico | OneFootball

The three starting defenders must be careful not to receive a booking against Gimnasia to be available for the match against Boca at La Bombonera. Gallardo's plan for them ahead of the match against Gimnasia.

River has no margin for error. Out of the Copa Argentina and currently in a qualifying position for the preliminary phase of the Copa Libertadores, Marcelo Gallardo's team has three matches left in the Torneo Clausura, among which the Superclásico against Boca stands out. However, before that is Gimnasia, and the Muñeco knows that for this match, he has four players on the brink due to accumulated yellow cards: Lucas Martínez Quarta, Lautaro Rivero, and Marcos Acuña.

The three defenders have become pillars of the team and it is precisely the backline they form with Gonzalo Montiel that has achieved some solidity in a year full of irregularities and changes. Therefore, the Muñeco might choose to take the risk of one being booked and missing the visit to La Bombonera.

The fact is that the three points against the Lobo are crucial to stay in the fight in the annual table for a spot in the next Copa Libertadores, as well as to ensure qualification for the round of 16 of the Torneo Clausura. That's why, even though today the coach believes that Acuña has no replacement in the squad (Milton Casco is performing poorly and against Talleres he had to resort to Rivero as a left-back), he will go with the best he has available.

The central defense offers a reliable alternative in Paulo Díaz, but the truth is that the partnership that Martínez Quarta and Rivero have consolidated in recent matches has given River a presence and firmness it had lost. If either of them receives a fifth yellow card, the Chilean is ready to go to La Boca.

In the worst-case scenario (all three players receive a fifth booking), Gallardo could turn to Sebastián Boselli and the aforementioned Paulo Díaz and Casco. In that case, he would also have the option to move Juan Carlos Portillo back, who has already performed well as a central defender for River and adapts very well to the left-back position. However, this is an option that in Núñez they don't even want to consider.

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