Sampaoli faces absences, may hand Atlético defender debut against Sport | OneFootball

Atlético takes the field this Wednesday (08), at 7:00 PM, at Arena MRV, to face Sport in a postponed match from the 14th round of the Brazilian Championship. And coach Jorge Sampaoli will have to deal with important absences in the defensive sector and midfield.

Called up by their national teams for friendlies during the FIFA break, defenders Ivan Román (Chile) and Júnior Alonso (Paraguay), as well as midfielder Alan Franco (Ecuador), are out of the match. These absences force the Argentine coach to look for alternatives to set up the team.

On the other hand, defender Lyanco is available again after serving an automatic suspension in the 3-0 defeat to Fluminense last Saturday (04), at Maracanã. The defender is the most likely name to reclaim his starting spot in the backline.

With the two absences in defense, Renan Tressoldi could make his debut in the black-and-white shirt if Sampaoli opts for a more traditional formation. Another possibility is using Saravia, improvised as a center-back—a role the Argentine has already played on other occasions.

In midfield, Alan Franco's absence opens up a spot for a contest between Fausto Vera and Gabriel Menino, who are fighting for a place alongside Otávio.

Gabriel Veneno is expected to make his debut among the club's listed players. According to Betinho Marques from Portal Fala Galo, the young forward, just 16 years old, will be on the bench for the upcoming match. It's worth noting that Veneno is the club's biggest prospect in its youth academy.

Currently, Atlético occupies 15th place in the Brasileirão, with 29 points from 25 games. The match against Sport is seen as a chance for the Minas Gerais team to bounce back, as they seek to respond to their fans after the defeat to Fluminense and, above all, start to distance themselves from the relegation zone.

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