Ávalos and Valdéz miss out for Independiente v Racing | OneFootball

Gustavo Quinteros was introduced as Independiente’s coach this Monday at noon and already had to face his first problem: he will not be able to count on Gabriel Ávalos or Sebastián Valdéz for the clásico against Racing next Sunday, in what will be his debut at the club.

El Rojo is going through turbulent days after the departure of Julio Vaccari, which is why the management moved quickly and secured the arrival of the coach—who was champion with Vélez in 2024—in record time. However, his start won’t be easy, as the team is coming off a poor draw against San Lorenzo, in which they didn’t take a single shot on goal, remain at the bottom of the table, and now face the Avellaneda clásico with two significant absences that further complicate his debut. Both the center-back and the forward suffered muscle injuries and are practically ruled out.

In defense, the first option to replace Valdéz would be Franco Paredes, who came on for him and delivered a solid performance. Offensively, the alternatives are Ignacio Pussetto, who hasn’t shown a good level since arriving on the red side of Avellaneda, or betting on Matías Abaldo as a false nine, as the team has done in some recent stretches.

Quinteros will work with his trusted coaching staff: Maxi Quesada, Leandro “Chavo” Desábato, his son Rodrigo Quinteros, and fitness coach Hugo Roldán. The goalkeeping coach position remains to be decided, with the possibility that Damián Albil—who has already worked at the club—could join again.

The official presentation marked the beginning of a new era for El Rojo. Between the urgent need to pick up points and the immediate challenge of the clásico against Racing, Quinteros will debut with a tough task: a team at the bottom of the table, two key absences, and the demand to restore El Rojo’s identity.

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