Gallardo Faces Selection Dilemma Ahead of Libertadores Clash and Superclásico

River Plate’s dominant 3-0 win over Gimnasia provided much-needed relief, but now head coach Marcelo Gallardo must confront a pivotal decision: prioritize the Copa Libertadores or preserve energy for Sunday’s Superclásico against Boca Juniors. TyC Sports reports that Gallardo is weighing the possibility of fielding a partially rotated lineup for Wednesday’s group stage match against Independiente del Valle in Quito.

River began their continental campaign with a win over Universitario and a draw against Barcelona SC. While the game in Ecuador is important, it may not warrant risking key players with the high-stakes derby looming just four days later.

Gallardo is unlikely to deploy a fully alternative side—his Libertadores record suggests otherwise. However, precautionary changes are expected. Miguel Borja, who left the pitch with discomfort against Gimnasia, will be rested. Gonzalo Martínez and Maximiliano Meza remain sidelined and won’t travel.

Monday and Tuesday’s training sessions at River Camp will be crucial for assessing the physical state of the squad. The team will first travel to Guayaquil before heading to Quito in an effort to minimize the impact of altitude.

When asked about the upcoming schedule, Gallardo remained pragmatic. “One day at a time. Winning this weekend helped us reset. Now we need to recover well, prepare for Wednesday, and then we’ll figure out Sunday,” he said.

With high expectations in both tournaments, the River manager must strike a delicate balance between squad rotation and competitiveness on two critical fronts.