River’s likely line-up to face Unión: two doubts in defence and attack | OneFootball

River is experiencing a period of inconsistency, but finds itself competing on all possible fronts. After qualifying for the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals by penalties against Libertad and drawing with an alternative team against Lanús, the focus is now on the Copa Argentina, where this Thursday at 21:15 they will face Unión in the round of 16.

Marcelo Gallardo decided to rest players during the visit to Granate last Monday precisely because of this clash against Tatengue. The coach will field the best possible 11 as the Millonario aims to reach the Copa Argentina quarter-finals, a stage where Racing is already waiting for an opponent.

This afternoon's training session will determine if Paulo Díaz returns to the starting lineup. The Chilean is recovering from a left ankle injury, and his place at the Fortress was taken by Lautaro Rivero. If he's not at 100%, it will be the 21-year-old who returned mid-year from Central Córdoba who will take his place in defense.

In midfield, an area where Gallardo has yet to find the ideal players, the only certainties are Enzo Pérez and Ignacio Fernández. They would be joined by Giuliano Galoppo, who had a good game against Lanús and suffered an unnecessary expulsion in the match against Libertad. The biggest question is whether to add a fourth midfielder or play with three forwards.

Juan Fernando Quintero or Facundo Colidio seems to be the current uncertainty in the offensive phase. The Colombian, coming off irregular performances, is competing with the former Tigre player, who has experienced a clear decline in performance in recent matches. Given the good form of Sebastián Driussi and the importance of Maximiliano Salas, the third attacker remains to be decided.

The probable lineup for River vs. Unión, in Copa Argentina

Franco Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Paulo Díaz or Lautaro Rivero, Marcos Acuña; Ignacio Fernández, Enzo Pérez, Giuliano Galoppo; Juan Fernando Quintero or Facundo Colidio, Sebastián Driussi and Maximiliano Salas. Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.

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