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, from 19:15, River Plate will visit Velez Sarsfield at the José Amalfitani stadium for the sixth round of the Apertura 2026 Tournament. The Millionaire, who recently won without convincing against Ciudad de Bolívar, will try to improve its performance against a Fortín that remains undefeated.

Last Tuesday, Marcelo Gallardo's team advanced to the round of 32 of the Argentine Cup after a 1-0 victory over Ciudad Bolivar with a last-minute penalty by Juan Fernando Quintero. However, the performance once again raised doubts after tough defeats against Tigre and Argentinos Juniors.

With seven points in five rounds, River is eighth in Zone B and needs to add points to climb both in its group and in the annual table, crucial in the fight for a spot in the next Copa Libertadores.

Returns and possible changes

Gallardo recovers important players: Franco Armani, Sebastian Driussi and Marcos Acuna have been medically cleared. The goalkeeper and the left-back have great chances of being starters. Santiago Beltrán would leave his place to the Pulpo, while Matías Viña would be replaced by the world champion.

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

An undefeated Vélez strong at home

The team of Guillermo Barros Schelotto is one of the six undefeated in the tournament. With three wins and two draws, it leads Zone A with 11 points. In Liniers, it has already surpassed Talleres and Boca and now seeks to repeat against a battered River.

Guillermo has managed against the Millionaire 19 times with Lanús, Boca, and Vélez, with a negative record: four wins, seven draws, and eight losses. Additionally, he suffered two memorable defeats in 2018: the Super Cup and the Libertadores final against the classic rival.

Regarding the team, Diego Valdes will be out due to a micro-tear in the 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.