Three youngsters pushing for a chance at River v Bragantino | OneFootball

After the win over Aldosivi, Eduardo Coudet showed his annoyance at the press criticism of how his River team had been playing. However, the coach knows the team must improve its level of play, which is why he is looking for alternatives from match to match. Ahead of the clash against Bragantino in Brazil, three of the five youngsters who came on Saturday are fighting for a place in the starting eleven.

There is no doubt that the untimely injuries to Fausto Vera against Carabobo, and Sebastián Driussi in the Superclásico itself against Boca, forced Chacho to look for alternatives. They were two very significant absences of players who have no natural replacements in the squad. Against the team from Mar del Plata, Giuliano Galoppo (who scored the first goal) and Maximiliano Salas started, but they were far from standing out.

In this context, the minutes played by Joaquín Freitas, Juan Cruz Meza, and Kendry Páez (who scored the third) give Coudet more depth heading into Thursday. Although there are signs he would repeat the lineup, he could test some changes in the remaining training sessions before the third Sudamericana match.

Freitas, a 19-year-old forward developed at Acassuso, still lacks hold-up play, something that is vital for the coach’s style. He is not yet comfortable under pressure from opposing defenders when he drops deep to get the ball, but he has the versatility and judgment to distribute play and lead a counterattack, as he did against Aldosivi. In addition to his youth, what works against him is his limited scoring output so far. Still, his introduction usually gives the team a boost in intensity.

As for Meza, he started against Boca at the Monumental in place of Vera, but lasted only 45 minutes. He was replaced by Galoppo, who kept his spot this weekend. Maxi’s brother, just 18 years old, is very versatile and gives the team more play through the middle, something the former São Paulo and Banfield man does not offer. His movement, physical presence, and ability to combine with teammates could earn him a place in the starting eleven in the short term.

Lastly, there is Kendry Páez. He also started the Superclásico, showing some flashes but being somewhat inconsistent. The 18-year-old Ecuadorian left the field 12 minutes into the second half, and in Saturday’s match he changed the look of the team’s attack and scored a superb goal for the final 3-1. He is competing for a spot with Ian Subiabre, another youngster (19) who for now has not found his place on the field and whose performances have been inconsistent. In any case, the Comodoro Rivadavia native has Coudet’s backing, as the coach openly defended him in the press conference.

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