Sampaoli faces defensive headache for derby v Cruzeiro | OneFootball

The victory over Sport, by 3-1, at Arena MRV, gave Atlético an important breather in the Brasileirão. However, at the same time, it brought a huge headache for coach Jorge Sampaoli. The coach will face great difficulties in setting up the defensive system for the classic against Cruzeiro, scheduled for next Wednesday (15), at 9:30 PM, again at Arena MRV, for the 28th round of the national competition.

The problem starts with the Chilean Ivan Román. The young defender was on duty with the Chilean national team, called up for a friendly match against Peru. However, the defender complained of pain in his left hand during training and underwent tests, which confirmed a fracture. According to an official statement from the Chilean Federation, the player will have to undergo surgery and, therefore, is expected to miss the Minas Gerais classic.

Check out the note from the Chilean national team:

Another concern is Lyanco. The defender felt pain in the Achilles tendon of his left foot during the game against Sport and had to leave the field. According to Atlético, he will be re-evaluated this Thursday (09) to determine the severity of the injury.

Besides them, Vitor Hugo is suspended due to a third yellow card and Junior Alonso, called up by the Paraguayan national team, is unlikely to return in time for the clash against Cruzeiro.

As a result, Sampaoli currently has only two options available: Ruan Tressoldi and the young Vitão, a defender from the under-17 team who has been training with the professional squad in recent weeks.

The situation worries the Argentine coach, who will need to improvise or rely on the youth team to assemble the defense. It is important to mention that midfielder Alan Franco is also expected to be absent, as he is with the Ecuadorian national team, which faces the United States tomorrow and the Mexican national team on Tuesday (14), at 11:30 PM, less than 24 hours before the match between Galo and Cruzeiro.

The Minas Gerais classic could be decisive for Atlético to consolidate its recovery in the championship — but for that, Sampaoli will have to find solutions amid a series of important absences.

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