The defensive puzzle Colón must solve for a risky away trip | OneFootball

The defensive puzzle Colón must solve for a risky away trip | OneFootball

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·17 de junio de 2026

The defensive puzzle Colón must solve for a risky away trip

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Next Saturday at 4:00 p.m., Colón will face a crucial test in Resistencia when they take on Chaco For Ever. The match, corresponding to the fourth round of Primera Nacional’s Zone A (which had originally been postponed due to the AFA strike), will be officiated by Yamil Possi.

For this match, head coach Ezequiel Medrán faces a major headache: the forced absence of his captain and defensive leader, Pier Barrios, who reached the limit of five yellow cards and must serve a one-match suspension.


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The Replacement Dilemma: Thaller or Olmedo?

Barrios’ absence interrupts the defensive solidity the Sabalero had been showing, raising questions about who will partner Federico Rasmussen in central defense. The coaching staff is considering two options:

  1. Nicolás Thaller: He has a slight edge. Although he has lost ground in recent weeks (even being left out of the bench at times), Medrán sees him as Barrios’ natural replacement because of his characteristics and experience in the division.
  2. Sebastián Olmedo: The Paraguayan defender is the other option, although he starts at a disadvantage since the coaching staff sees him more as Rasmussen’s direct backup than Barrios’.

If no last-minute issues arise, this change in central defense would be the only modification compared to the starting eleven that played against Defensores de Belgrano.

The Likely Sabalero Starting XI

In this way, Colón would take the field in Chaco with:

Matías Budiño; Mauro Peinipil, Nicolás Thaller or Sebastián Olmedo, Federico Rasmussen, Leandro Allende; Julián Marcioni, Federico Lértora, Ignacio Antonio, Ignacio Lago; Darío Sarmiento and Alan Bonansea.

What’s at Stake

This is no ordinary match for Colón. The team is currently in fourth place in Zone A, five points behind leaders Deportivo Morón. Taking all three points back from Resistencia is vital to remain firmly among the frontrunners and not lose ground in the always difficult fight for promotion.

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

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