With Tarragona back, Unión switch focus to Independiente | OneFootball

Unión won’t have much time to dwell on the defeat to Talleres. Leonardo Madelón’s team will have to quickly turn the page and focus on its next commitment, which will be none other than against Independiente, on Saturday, September 19 from 4:45 p.m. at the 15 de Abril stadium.

And amid the bitter taste left by the loss at the Mario Alberto Kempes, there is one piece of news that could prove decisive for the coach: Cristian Tarragona will be available again. The captain and the team’s top scorer missed the match against Talleres as a result of the red card he received against Instituto, in that 3-2 win in Santa Fe.

Tarragona returns and Madelón will have a decision to make at Unión

Tarragona’s return gives Unión back a key piece. His absence in Córdoba forced Madelón to alter the attacking structure and look for a different formula going forward, with Ignacio Malcorra and Marcelo Estigarribia as the main reference points.

Now the coach will have to decide who makes way for the captain’s return. Malcorra and Brahian Cuello turned in performances below their usual level against Talleres, so that will be one of the decisions Madelón will have to make during the week.

The other question mark is in midfield. Joaquín Mosqueira did not play in Córdoba, and it remains to be seen whether he will regain his starting spot against Independiente or whether Emilio Giaccone keeps his place, after earning the coaching staff’s trust with his strong performances.

A defeat that left Unión with no further losses

Beyond the result, Unión has one positive takeaway looking ahead: no player was sent off or suffered an injury during the match against Talleres.

That means Madelón will be able to work throughout the week with virtually the full squad at his disposal, in addition to Tarragona’s assured return, in order to correct the mistakes that showed up in Córdoba and prepare for another home match.

The challenge will be to quickly recover the positive feelings that had emerged from the previous three consecutive victories and prevent the defeat to Talleres from becoming a setback.

Unión remains well positioned in the race for the playoffs, but it also still has among its goals the possibility of entering the race for qualification to the 2027 Copa Sudamericana.

That is why the match against Independiente looms as another test for this team. Madelón will have a week to fine-tune the details, get his captain back, and once again find the formula that will allow Unión to return to winning ways at the 15 de Abril.

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