River Face a crucial challenge in the Copa Libertadores when visiting Independiente del Valle at the height of Quito. With 2,850 meters above sea level, the Ecuadorian capital represents an additional obstacle to Argentine teams, which usually suffer the effects of altitude on their physical performance.
Although it does not reach 3,600 meters of La Paz, where playing against Bolivian teams is even more demanding, the height of Quito remains a determining factor in tonight’s game. Historically, River He has had difficulty in the height of Quito.
Under the direction of Marcelo Gallardo, the team has visited the city three times and has lost in all of them without scoring goals. In 2015, 1-0 fell to the Quito League in the Copa Sudamericana; In 2016, he lost 2-0 against Independiente del Valle in the round of 16 of the Libertadores; And in 2020, he suffered a tough 0-3 defeat against Quito League in the group stage.
This adverse history makes tonight’s game an even greater challenge for the millionaire team. To minimize the effects of altitude, River He has designed a special strategy: the team will first travel to Guayaquil, where the night will spend, and only hours before the game will move to Quito.
This tactic seeks to reduce the impact of the lack of oxygen and fatigue that usually affect players under these conditions. Independiente del Valle has proven to be a solid team in its stadium, Banco Guayaquil, where it maintains an undefeated 14 games at home.
His last defeat at home was in August 2024, when he fell 2-1 before Delfín in the Ecuadorian League. Since then, he has accumulated 10 victories and 4 draws, which makes him a rival difficult to overcome in his territory.
Party keys
River He arrives as a group leader with 4 points, after beating University 1-0 in Lima and tie without goals with Barcelona SC in Buenos Aires. For this meeting, Gallardo has decided to use mixed training, combining headlines and alternates, since the team will face Boca Juniors in the Superclassic next weekend.
Among the most important casualties are Miguel Borja, who suffered a muscular discomfort, and Enzo Pérez, who will be reserved for the classic. For his part, Independiente del Valle will align his starting team, with key players like Guido Villar in El Arco, Thiago Santamaría in Defense, and Michael Hoyos in attack.
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