River aim to seal top spot in their group v Bragantino at the Monumental | OneFootball

El Millonario will face the Brazilian side this Wednesday at the Monumental in the fifth matchday of Group H. Eduardo Coudet will rest several starters with the Torneo Apertura final against Belgrano in mind, but he will still aim for a win that secures a place in the round of 16.

River Plate will host RB Bragantino this Wednesday starting at 9:30 p.m. at the Estadio Monumental, in the fifth matchday of Group H of the Copa Sudamericana. The team led by Eduardo Coudet is in great form and will look for a victory that would secure its qualification for the round of 16 of the continental tournament.

The Núñez side has been through intense and highly demanding weeks. After a huge win over San Lorenzo and knocking out Rosario Central to reach the Torneo Apertura final, El Millonario has significantly raised its level of play and regained the fans’ confidence. Now, before Sunday’s showdown against Belgrano in Córdoba, it will try to seal its international qualification.

River Plate leads Group H with 10 points and holds a four-point advantage over its closest challengers. Even a defeat would allow it to stay top and depend on itself on the final matchday to finish first. A draw would guarantee, at minimum, a spot in the playoffs, while taking all three points would send it directly into the round of 16.

The buildup of matches has left several important absences in the squad. Gonzalo Montiel, Matías Viña, Aníbal Moreno and Sebastián Driussi have all been ruled out, so Coudet is expected to field a completely rotated lineup. The most notable return would be Franco Armani in goal.

In defense, Ulises Giménez or Agustín Obregón could play alongside Germán Pezzella, Paulo Díaz and Facundo González. In midfield, Juan Fernando Quintero, Giuliano Galoppo and Lucas Silva or Kevin Castaño would feature. Further forward would be Maximiliano Meza, Ian Subiabre and Maximiliano Salas.

The coach’s priority is clear: not to take risks with the players who will start in the final against Belgrano. Also among the call-ups are two youngsters who could have their first official experience: Jonathan Spiff and Valentin Lucero.

On the other side, RB Bragantino is going through an inconsistent spell. Although it sits sixth in the Brasileirao, it was eliminated early from the Copa do Brasil by Mirassol and arrives needing points to avoid seriously damaging its chances of qualification.

The most recent meeting between the two came less than a month ago in Brazil and featured Santiago Beltrán as the standout player, as he saved a penalty and kept River in the game for much of the match. Near the end, Lucas Martínez Quarta scored the dramatic late winner that gave El Millonario victory on São Paulo soil.

River’s probable lineup vs. RB Bragantino

Franco Armani; Ulises Giménez or Agustín Obregón, Germán Pezzella, Paulo Díaz, Facundo González; Juan Fernando Quintero, Giuliano Galoppo, Lucas Silva or Kevin Castaño; Maximiliano Meza; Ian Subiabre and Maximiliano Salas. Coach: Eduardo Coudet.

RB Bragantino’s possible starting XI

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