River Weighs Key Injuries Ahead of Knockout Clash Against Barracas

River Plate is gearing up for their Torneo Apertura round of 16 clash against Barracas Central this Monday at the Monumental, with Marcelo Gallardo expected to field a strong lineup. According to Olé, the coach will wait until the last minute to decide whether Sebastián Driussi will start, after the forward left the Barcelona match in Guayaquil with a muscle issue.

River enters the match riding a wave of momentum, with Driussi scoring in five straight games. While early signs suggest he’s recovering well and no scans have been required, his availability will be determined on game day. If he’s not fit to start, Miguel Borja is set to replace him.

There are also question marks over two other key players. Midfielder Ignacio Fernández, who started back-to-back games for the first time this year, may be rested due to fatigue, with Giuliano Galoppo ready to step in. Defender Marcos Acuña, coming off a strong second half in Ecuador, could make way for Milton Casco to manage workloads ahead of Thursday’s Copa Libertadores fixture against Independiente del Valle.

Should the squad be deemed fit, Gallardo is likely to deploy his strongest XI, with an eye on a potential quarterfinal showdown with Platense.

Probable lineup: Franco ⁠Armani; Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Paulo Díaz, Marcos Acuña; Nacho Fernández o Giuliano Galoppo, Enzo Pérez, Kevin Castaño; Franco Mastantuono; Facundo Colidio y Sebastián Driussi o Miguel Borja. DT: Marcelo Gallardo.