In the schedule’s middle ground, Xeneize faces a crucial trip to Junín, heading into a week that will be defined by the Copa Libertadores campaign and the domestic league’s ongoing urgency. The coaching staff, led by Almirón, is already weighing an alternative starting XI to manage the demand of a packed calendar and the travel demands that come with it. The club prioritizes progressing in the Libertadores while also maintaining momentum in the league, a dual objective that remains central to their plans for the rest of 2023. The forthcoming matchday, noted as the second round of the local tournament, holds significant weight because it sits amid the Libertadores tie against Racing, a matchup that finished the first leg in a draw and will be decided next Wednesday at the Cilindro in a high-stakes clash for a place in the semi finals. The mounting pressure is clear: every result matters as the team pursues two concurrent avenues of success.
Nevertheless, the Wednesday clash does not absolve the Sunday assignment. This Sunday, at 5 p.m., the team travels to face Sarmiento in Junín. Both sides opened the season with wins, and the objective for Xeneize is to stay atop Group B, while Sarmiento hopes to climb out of danger and push further away from the relegation zone. The atmosphere around the squad is intense, with players cognizant of the delicate balance required to sustain form across multiple competitions during this stretch.
THE TARGETS FOR THE MOUTH
Shortly after the late draw with the Academy, head coach Almirón set his sights on a demanding week ahead. A notable hurdle emerged when Valentín Barco sustained a muscle injury, ruling him out of the return leg against Racing and joining Luca Langoni in the medical room. The injury situation requires careful rotation and precise management of minutes for all available attackers and wide players. In addition, there is caution around other squad members who may miss action as a precaution. Marcos Rojo recently returned from a period of limited activity, and Edinson Cavani reported some discomfort during a training session ahead of the cup confrontation. The aim is to preserve freshness while maintaining competitiveness for two major commitments in rapid succession, a challenge that tests the decision-making of the coaching staff.
With the calendar relentlessly tight, the coaching staff arranged a training session on the team’s return to the pitch. The selection took place with an emphasis on players who did not feature in the cup fixture from the outset, offering a chance for rotation and evaluation of depth. Among the featured participants was Dario Benedetto, who had previously logged a brief substitute appearance; in the practice setting, he entered the field in the final moments, signaling an earnest attempt to regain sharpness ahead of the next test. This period also marked the potential league debut for Ezequiel Bullaude, the newest signing, who has yet to run out for the club in official competition. A notable choice in the formation was the decision not to deploy Lucas Blondel on the right, with the right flank instead handled by Weigandt.
The planned XI for the session followed a structure that suggested both defensive solidity and offensive intent. The lineup included Javier Garcia in goal, a back line of Marcelo Weigandt, Marcelo Valdez, Facundo Roncaglia, and Marcelo Saracchi. In midfield, Ezequiel Bullaude partnered with Jorman Campuzano and Juan Ramirez, while in the attack Exequiel Zeballos, Dario Benedetto, and Lucas Janson were positioned to offer pace, creativity, and goal threat. The arrangement underscored a strategic balance between experience and fresh attacking ideas as the team prepared for the twin demands of a continental tie and a domestic fixture. The response from the squad in training reflected a collective readiness to adapt under pressure, a trait that the coaching staff will rely on in the weeks ahead. The preparation phase is an opportunity to assess squad dynamics, refine pressing mechanisms, and sharpen linking play between midfield and forwards for the matches looming on the horizon.
Source: Goal [Goal]