Rotation looms: Coudet's XI for River v Carabobo, Sudamericana | OneFootball

Pending the final training session before the Copa Libertadores match, the main idea within the Millonario coaching staff is to rest the starters and protect them with Boca in mind.

Unlike Claudio Úbeda, who tonight against Barcelona (SC) will field his best players, Eduardo Coudet’s thinking is focused on turning to the first major rotation since taking over at River, with Carabobo in mind. With the Superclásico just around the corner on Sunday, Millonario will have one day less rest than Boca and the coaching staff is shaping up an alternative lineup for this Wednesday in the Copa Sudamericana.

While waiting for the final evening training session that will lead into the squad’s training camp — and provide more certainty — in principle, the only usual starters expected to get minutes are Santiago Beltrán and Lautaro Rivero, who did not play against Racing due to suspension and comes into the cup match rested.

The rest of the players Coudet usually counts on — aside from any exception the coach believes is physically able to handle the busy schedule — would be kept out with the Superclásico in mind, a match with more symbolic and emotional than numerical value, given that River has already secured qualification for the Apertura round of 16.

In that sense, in defense, the two full-backs from the draw against Blooming in Bolivia would remain: Fabricio Bustos on the right and Matías Viña on the left. In central defense, the spot for the first center-back alongside Rivero is being contested by Germán Pezzella and Tobías Ramírez, who made his debut for the Banda last Sunday at El Cilindro. It is worth remembering that Lucas Martínez Quarta is suspended in the Copa Sudamericana, as is Maximiliano Salas.

Further forward, the opportunity against the leader of Copa Sudamericana Group H may go to names who have not been regulars for Coudet: Kevin Castaño, Giuliano Galoppo, Juan Cruz Meza and Juan Fernando Quintero would be the starters against Carabobo, who opened with a win in Venezuela against Red Bull Bragantino. In attack, Chacho would lean toward Kendry Páez and Joaquín Freitas.

Santiago Beltrán; Fabricio Bustos, Germán Pezzella or Tobías Ramírez, Lautaro Rivero, Matías Viña; Kevin Castaño, Giuliano Galoppo, Juan Cruz Meza, Juan Fernando Quintero; Ian Subiabre or Kendry Páez and Joaquín Freitas.

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