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

After the win over Aldosivi, Eduardo Coudet appeared upset by the media’s criticism of how his River side had performed. Even so, 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 XI.

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 played, 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 ahead of Thursday. Although there are signs he would repeat the lineup, he could try things out in the remaining training sessions before the Sudamericana third-round match.

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

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

Lastly, there is Kendry Páez. He also started in the Superclásico, showing some flashes but also looking somewhat inconsistent. The 18-year-old Ecuadorian left the pitch 12 minutes into the second half, and in Saturday’s match he changed the face of the team’s attack and scored a stunning goal to make it the final 3-1. He is battling Ian Subiabre for a place, another youngster (19) who for now has not found his role on the pitch and whose form has been up and down. 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.