Buenos Aires – River Plate faces a pivotal Round of 16 matchup against Racing on Monday,with their Copa libertadores hopes hanging in the balance. Despite a recent knee injury, World Cup champion Gonzalo Montiel is expected to feature in the starting lineup, providing a boost to the squad as they aim to secure a vital win. Though, forward Facundo Colidio remains sidelined due to a hamstring strain, adding to the challenges for coach Martín Demichelis as he navigates key absences.
World Cup champion Gonzalo Montiel is set to start Monday’s crucial match, despite recently returning from injury. However, forward Facundo Colidio remains unavailable as he continues to recover from a muscle strain.
River faces a critical matchup on Monday with their season hanging in the balance. The team is reeling and on the verge of missing out on Copa Libertadores qualification next season, though their fate remains in their own hands. To stay in contention, they must defeat Racing in the Round of 16, a match that will see the return of Gonzalo Montiel, but not Facundo Colidio, who is still not fully fit.
Following Fabricio Bustos’s muscle injury in Sunday’s draw against Vélez, Montiel’s return became even more urgent. Although another week of rest might have been advisable due to his recent knee sprain, the World Cup winner will be in the starting lineup for the trip to Avellaneda’s Cilindro stadium.
Colidio’s situation is different. Three weeks after suffering a hamstring strain, his recovery timeline is tight. Lacking match fitness and still training separately from his teammates, the former Tigre player has been left off the squad.
In his absence, Cristian Jaime, Agustín Ruberto, and Joaquín Freitas remain on the roster, three young forwards who have seen varying degrees of playing time in the Primera División. This is crucial given that Miguel Ángel Borja has been definitively ruled out, meaning that if Sebastián Driussi and Maximiliano Salas start up front, the only other option would be Ian Subiabre, another promising young player with some experience.
Paulo Díaz finds himself in a similar situation to Colidio. Again left off the squad, his days with River appear to be numbered. The key difference is that Colidio’s contract expires at the end of the year, while Díaz’s runs until the end of 2027, meaning his departure would likely require a transfer.
Following the injury to Fabricio Bustos in the tie against Vélez last Sunday, the return of the World Cup champion became critical.
You Might Also Like
