River lose eight to internationals: "We're the hardest hit"

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·6 Oktober 2025

River lose eight to internationals: "We're the hardest hit"

«It's not good to play during the FIFA date, we are the team that is most affected», Marcelo Gallardo remarked with an ironic smile during a heated press conference after River's 2-1 defeat against Rosario Central. The coach criticized the refereeing of Yael Falcón Pérez, took a jab at the AFA («those who speak are sanctioned») and also complained because Argentine football will not pause during the international friendlies.

The explanation behind the Muñeco's statement has to do with the number of absences River will suffer ahead of next Sunday's match against Sarmiento de Junín, at the Monumental. Among those called up, injured, and suspended, at least eight key players of the team's backbone will not be available. The list of absentees is as follows:

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Gonzalo Montiel: called up to the Argentina National Team.
Marcos Acuña: called up to the Argentina National Team.
Lautaro Rivero: called up to the Argentina National Team.
Kevin Castaño: called up to the Colombia National Team.
Juan Fernando Quintero: called up to the Colombia National Team.
Matías Galarza: called up to the Paraguay National Team.
Maximiliano Salas: suspended due to the expulsion against Riestra, must serve one more match.
Juan Portillo: suspended due to the red card against Rosario Central.

«It's not good to play during the FIFA date. We are the team that is most affected, but well, what we think doesn't matter. We will play with a squad depleted by the absences of the national team players», Gallardo pointed out after the 2-1 loss in Rosario.

And to that significant number, which will further destabilize a River team going through an irregular phase and also urgently needing to win after three consecutive losses in the Clausura to regain ground in the annual standings, it could increase. Everything will depend on how Enzo Pérez (from the cut on his knee that sidelined him from the last two matches) and Sebastián Driussi (strain in the posterior) recover.

There is optimism that both will rejoin group training starting Tuesday, the day when only the injured players will train (the rest will resume on Wednesday) with a focus on the Verde. If there are no delays in their respective recoveries, they will be starters on Sunday within a lineup with many changes forced by the absences.

To make matters worse, the inconvenience of matchday 12 of the Clausura comes at a delicate moment for River, not only in terms of football but also regarding qualification for the next Copa Libertadores through the annual standings. The defeat in Arroyito, combined with Boca's 5-0 thrashing of Newell’s, dropped them to third place and today they would be in the Repechage zone.

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