RIVER PLATE PREPARES FOR THE MARACANÃ TEST
A few days before the Superclásico, the millionaire travels to Rio de Janeiro to face the flu in the legendary Maracanã stadium. The anticipation around Group D of the Copa Libertadores had already set the stage for a decisive moment: River would meet their rivals on the third matchday, with the venue and timing finally confirmed in the heart of Brazil. While the much-anticipated clash with Boca Juniors in the Professional League looms on the horizon, River heads to Rio de Janeiro with full focus five days ahead of that heavyweight duel.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, at 9 p.m., and Martín Demichelis’ squad is determined to notch a second win after opening with a loss in La Paz against The Strongest and then beating Sporting Cristal as Flu put the full six points on the line against those opponents.
RIVER PLATE’S CALL-UP
In the most recent league appearance, Micho opted to visit Atlético Tucumán with a large portion of reserves to minimize the risk of pulling key players ahead of an important week. The plan proved wise, with only the already known absences: Enzo Díaz due to suspension against Sporting Cristal and Paulo Díaz because of a muscle strain. For the weekend squad, the sole change is the return of Enzo Pérez replacing the young Tomás Castro Ponce in the lineup.
The team traveled after the noon training session and arrived in Rio de Janeiro by night, where hundreds of fans welcomed them with chants and banners, a clear sign of the strong support River enjoys abroad.
@RiverPlate
RIVER’S TACTICAL SHADOWS
Besides the Boca clash on Sunday, the coach has shown there will be no heavy reshuffle. The starting XI is expected to mirror the side that has performed best in recent appearances, with two defensive adjustments aimed at tightening the back line. Andrés Herrera would slot in as right back if Casco shifts to the left, and Emanuel Mammana would partner Leandro González Pirez in central defense. A more radical option would see Robert Rojas inserted as part of a five-man back line, with Ezequiel Barco not featuring in the attack on that variant. In attack, the plan remains crystal clear: Lucas Beltrán as the reference striker leads the line.
The proposed formation, if the standard setup is kept, would read: Franco Armani; Andrés Herrera, Leandro González Pirez, Emanuel Mammana, Milton Casco; Enzo Pérez; Nicolás De La Cruz, Rodrigo Aliendro, Nacho Fernández, Ezequiel Barco; Lucas Beltrán.
ALTERNATIVE PLANS
Alternative arrangements are still under consideration, with several players being evaluated for different roles depending on how the match unfolds and the opponents’ setup. The coaching staff is weighing risk versus reward as they seek a result that can set a positive tone for the rest of the week.
Source: Goal (citation)