After the loss to Talleres in Córdoba, River Plate faces a critical moment on the eve of an important Libertadores journey, aiming to restore momentum on the continental stage.
River endured another stumble at the Mario Kempes Stadium, mirroring the setback on the previous date against Belgrano. Talleres ended the undefeated run in the Professional League, narrowing the gap for the chasers led by San Lorenzo and closing the distance with River Plate, who still holds a five-point cushion at the top of the table.
As part of the bid to rebound, the team hosts Platense at the end of date 17. The match against Martín Palermo’s squad, fresh off a convincing triumph over Racing, is scheduled for Sunday, May 21, at 8:30 pm in the Monumental. It comes just days before a decisive clash for Martín Demichelis’ squad in the Copa Libertadores.
RIVER’S NEXT CALL
Next Thursday, the 25th, River travels to Lima to face Sporting Cristal in the fourth group-stage match of the international competition. Seen as the most approachable of the remaining trio of games, it is worth noting that Sporting Cristal remains the only side capable of beating River in that stretch, so a poor result in Peru could threaten an embarrassing elimination. This is a reminder that every point matters—especially given the precarious balance in the group.
Meanwhile, the Córdoba defeat also means there is no room for relaxation in the domestic league. Unlike the approach used when facing Atlético Tucumán with a rotated lineup, this time all players are expected to contribute, and the squad will likely feature Agustín Palavecino, Ezequiel Palavecino? no, correction: Agustín Palavecino, Enzo Pérez, and Ezequiel Centurión returning to action after serving suspension. The recent suspension date following the Superclásico will be observed, affecting the lineup choices for the upcoming fixture list.
There could be a surprise in store, as Claudio Echeverri, who has joined the first-team setup after time with the reserves, could receive his first chance to focus and serve as an option from the bench or as a rotational piece in the attack.
THE RIVER’S SETUP
In Córdoba, Demichelis attempted to disrupt expectations with a schedule shift that didn’t pay off: Salomón Rondón failed to make a meaningful impact in attack, and the midfield missed the balance provided by Rodrigo Aliendro alongside Enzo Pérez. Given that, the most logical adjustment for the clash against Squid (clinical replacement for a nickname or typo in the original text) would be anticipated as the likely change for the next match.
If there are no other surprises, the probable starting XI could be: Franco Armani; Milton Casco, Paulo Díaz, Leandro González Pirez; Enzo Díaz; Rodrigo Aliendro, Enzo Pérez; Nicolás De La Cruz, Nacho Fernández, Esequiel Barco; Lucas Beltrán.
ALTERNATIVE
To define.
According to Goal, these are the ongoing developments shaping River Plate’s campaign as they navigate a demanding schedule that blends domestic concerns with the pressure of the Libertadores group stage.