CONMEBOL. La Bestia (The Beast) is dealing with a calf strain that has raised alarm bells, as he is now in doubt for the crucial Copa Argentina match against Vélez.
Tomás Modini
@ModiniTomas
After two consecutive victories over Godoy Cruz and Sarmiento, which brought some much-needed relief, Fernando Gago planned a week of intense training to take advantage of the FIFA break and fine-tune the squad’s physical condition. However, he received some very bad news with the injury to Miguel Merentiel.
The Uruguayan was unable to finish the morning practice due to a strong pain in his calf, which immediately raised concerns. If it turns out to be a muscle tear, La Bestia will miss not only the final stretch of the Liga Profesional, where Xeneize needs to collect as many points as possible to qualify for the Copa Libertadores through the annual standings, but also the head-to-head Copa Argentina match with Vélez.
Pintita (Gago) had been experimenting with Merentiel’s role in the tactical setup, initially testing him as a winger, without much success, and later behind Edinson Cavani. In his absence, one of the midfielders, such as Jabes Saralegui or Agustín Martegani, could seize the opportunity, and Milton Giménez may also start to see more minutes as a backup for Cavani.
Some Returns at San Lorenzo
El Ciclón (San Lorenzo) enters a week of work similar to previous ones, as they face Racing on Sunday. The focus is on continuing to accumulate points and seeing if they can secure a spot in next year’s Copa Sudamericana, considering the possibility of freeing up slots.
Miguel Ángel Russo will finally be able to count on two players who have been unavailable due to injuries since his arrival: fullbacks Malcom Braida and Nahuel Arias. The left-back had recovered from a severe ankle injury, but upon returning, he fractured the second metatarsal of his right foot. As a result, Elías Báez has gained significant ground in his position, and his progress will continue to be monitored on a day-to-day basis.
similar situation occurs on the right flank, where Gonzalo Luján has taken over from Arias. Luján was initially the one expected to be the starting right-back after Agustín Giay’s transfer to Palmeiras, and he is likely to be on the bench unless the coach decides otherwise.
Iker Muniain is another player being closely monitored, as he was unable to play against Rosario Central due to a last-minute muscle issue. Russo admitted that Muniain needs to get up to full fitness and train with the team in order to be available. Despite arriving not long ago, the Spanish midfielder has quickly become a key player in the team’s offensive play and is also the captain. It remains to be seen whether he will be part of the starting lineup against Racing.
Matchday 11 of the South American World Cup Qualifiers Begins
The November double matchday of the CONMEBOL qualifiers kicks off at 6:00 PM with the match between Venezuela and Brazil in Maturín. Fernando Batista’s team is struggling and has even fallen out of the playoff spots. They need a result against Brazil, who have significantly improved their level and put several past criticisms behind them.
At 8:30 PM, it will be Argentina’s turn to face Paraguay at the Defensores del Chaco. Gustavo Alfaro’s squad is doing well, with a clear identity of aggressive play, and they are ready to take points off Lionel Scaloni’s team, who still have some doubts. These doubts are mostly related to the system of play. If Scaloni opts for two strikers, Lautaro Martínez and Julián Álvarez are the fixed choices, while if a midfielder is included, Giovanni Lo Celso or Leandro Paredes could replace one of the forwards.
Thursday’s matches will conclude with Ecuador, coached by Sebastián Beccacece, who is looking to pull away from the dangerous seventh spot, facing Bolivia in Quito. Bolivia has been very strong at home in El Alto but has struggled away from home.
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