Kevin Castaño travels and looks set to start | OneFootball

The Colombian midfielder, who seemed to have been completely pushed aside during Eduardo Coudet's spell, surprised everyone by appearing on River's squad list for the Copa Sudamericana opener in Venezuela against Carabobo.

After being left out even of the Superclásico and following some social media posts that caused a stir in the River world, Chacho decided to give him a vote of confidence amid the rotation. Castaño is not only traveling, but also has a serious chance of starting in a midfield he would share with Giuliano Galoppo and Maxi Meza, who are looking to regain rhythm after their injuries.

Since arriving in Núñez for a fee close to $13 million, the former Cruz Azul player has been unable to find his footing, and so far in 2026 he has logged just 137 minutes. Coudet always maintained that his absence was purely for footballing reasons, and today he seems willing to keep his word and use him again.

For the Medellín midfielder, this is not just any match. With the World Cup just around the corner and the need to be considered for the Colombia national team, these minutes in the Sudamericana could be the starting point for trying to turn around a situation that, until a few days ago, seemed all but decided. El Millonario makes its debut tonight, and all eyes will be on the Colombian's performance.

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