It seems that they arrive the same, but no. While Diego Martinez Everything is at stake at Boca, Marcelo Gallardo is starting a new story as River’s coach and is betting on proving that his superclásica specialty remains intact. The biggest match in Argentine football, in the league, is being played this Saturday at 9:00 p.m. Spanish time. It will be at the Bombonera. It is a captivating proposition.
The standings show them tied in almost everything, With 21 points, 9 behind comfortable leader Vélezwith 5 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses and with 19 goals scored. There is only a slight difference in the goals against: the millionaires were scored 11 and the xeneizes 14. However, the realities of Boca and River are not aligned with the numbers indicated by the Argentine league.
Boca arrives at a delicate moment
The moment for the xeneizes is delicate. They find themselves involved in all kinds of unknowns. Eliminated prematurely and unexpectedly from the Copa Sudamericana, with worrying footballing cyclothymia and without defining a line of play, Coach Diego Martínez is playing for his continuity in the Superclásico. It seems that he cannot resist a defeat at the Bombonera against River. On top of that, he also arrives The experienced goalkeeper Sergio Romero is more than questioned, responsible for the two goals in the last painful classic defeat against Racing.
River is banking everything on the Copa Libertadores
The millionaires are pure hope and illusion. They changed coach very recently, they recovered to the legendary Marcelo Gallardoreinforced the team with a couple of international level players (German Pezzella, Marcos Acuña, Maximiliano Meza and Fabricio Bustos) and they got back on track. El Muñeco took advantage of the recent break due to the double FIFA date, did some deep physical work and the team became more explosive from there. Thus, they beat Atlético Tucumán at the weekend, which is fighting well at the top. Thus, on Tuesday they traveled to Chile and in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals they tied with Colo Colo in a very heated match.
Cavani returns
Boca will recover some decisive pieces that have not played for a couple of games: Luis Advincula, Marcos Rojo and Edinson Cavani. In this way, Diego Martínez will be able to get closer to the ideal team configuration. The biggest question will be how the Uruguayan star returns, having not played since August 15, since that first leg match against Cruzeiro.
River’s lineup boils down to a giant dilemma. He arrives conditioned by the Libertadores, the great objective, his obsession. As he played during the week for the Cup and will do so again on Tuesday in search of qualification for the semi-finals, Gallardo will evaluate until the last moment who plays the Superclásico and who rests. The priority is the rematch with Colo Colo, because it will mark the year. Losing to Boca would not be dramatic…
Rotations in River
In this context, it is most likely that El Muñeco will put together a mix. For the interpreters, we will have to wait until a little while before the match. Paulo Diaz will surely play, suspended in the continental competition. He has plenty of strong replacement names (Manuel Lanzini, Franco Mastantuono, Facundo Colidio, Adam Bareiro, Federico Gattoni, Milton Casco, Enzo Diaz), although all without convincing relevance.
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Boca and River are playing. The winner will continue to dream of the league. The loser will be too far away from the title fight. It seems that they will arrive at the same level, but no. Diego Martínez is playing for everything. Marcelo Gallardo, in this new stage, wants to show that his superclásica specialty remains intact.
Probable lineups
La Bombonera, 9:00 p.m. in Spain
Boca Juniors: Sergio Romero; Cristian Lema, Aaron Anselmino, Marcos Rojo; Luis Advincula, Cristian Medina, Pol Fernandez, Kevin Zenon, Lautaro Blanco; Miguel Merentiel and Edinson Cavani.
Coach: Diego Martinez.
River Plate: Franco Armani; Fabricio Bustos, Gonzalez Pirez, Paulo Diaz, Enzo Diaz; Santiago Simon, Rodrigo Villagra, Nicolas Fonseca, Manuel Lanzini; Facundo Colidio and Adam Bareiro.
Coach: Marcelo Gallardo.
Referee: Nicolas Ramirez.
