Gallardo Finalizes the Squad Amid Incomings and Departures

Marcelo Gallardo is putting the finishing touches on preparations for the first leg of the CONMEBOL Libertadores Round of 16, set for August 14 against Libertad in Paraguay.

It is already confirmed that Maximiliano Salas and Lucas Martínez Quarta will not be available. The Millonario coach is awaiting the recoveries of Sebastián Driussi and Juan Portillo. With several ins and outs, it’s worth noting that CONMEBOL allows up to five changes to the official squad list for the Round of 16. Quintero, Portillo, and Galarza Fonda will replace Tapia, González Pirez, Lavagnino, and Mastantuono. The replacement for Rodrigo Aliendro, who left on a free transfer to Vélez, has yet to be decided, with Boselli, Woiski, Rivero, and Meza as the main candidates.

If River advances to the quarterfinals, the regulations allow three more changes to the squad list, with another window for modifications should they reach the semifinals.

The Plan to Get Juan Fernando Quintero Back to His Best

Coach Gallardo has begun a plan to get Juan Fernando Quintero back to peak form, giving him minutes recently against San Lorenzo and San Martín de Tucumán in the Copa Argentina. He is considered one of the team’s creative and attacking weapons for what lies ahead. The Colombian had 39 touches, lost possession only six times, completed 32 of 36 passes, took a free kick that went wide, and created four scoring chances.

With seven days until the first-leg match against Libertad, and given Quintero’s experience and quality, Gallardo knows he must have this type of player ready for crucial encounters. Seen as a vital option off the bench, the coach still plans to keep Lencina in the starting lineup while relying on Quintero to break lines with his passing and make an impact when called upon.