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El Chacho is hanging by a thread

Eduardo "Chacho" Coudet's cycle reaches Wednesday under maximum pressure. River is going through an irregular Clausura: after six matches, they have only four points, with four losses, one draw, and one victory, and they just let a 2-0 lead slip against Vélez to end 2-2. Now everything moves to the Copa Sudamericana: the 0-0 in Bogotá forces the Millonario to win at the Monumental to avoid penalties. On the other side will be Hugo Rodallega, captain and top scorer of Santa Fe, who has already warned that his team will go to Buenos Aires to seek qualification. If River surpasses the series, Vasco da Gama awaits in the quarter-finals, which will be the next obstacle on the continental road.

The Monumental will be the judge

The fans' patience seems to have run out. River's play generates murmurs, whistles, and an increasingly uncomfortable feeling: there are important names, but a convincing team has yet to emerge. The draw against Vélez deepened that discomfort, especially because River had managed a two-goal lead and once again showed problems in maintaining their performance. Coudet himself had to explain decisions and performance after the match, while the stands demand a more vertical and aggressive style of football. On Wednesday, the Monumental will have its say and it will be much more than the stage for a rematch: it will be the thermometer of a cycle that needs an urgent response.

The favorite villain

Guillermo Barros Schelotto once again had a separate match with River. The Vélez coach managed to get his team to react after a first half in which they had been clearly outplayed, and his own players acknowledged the importance of the halftime talk. Vélez came out transformed, scored, and ended up salvaging a 2-2 draw that felt like a victory for Fortín. The result, moreover, left Coudet more exposed just before the nite that could define his future. Now Chacho will have to show that he has answers when he faces Santa Fe, in a series that is absolutely open after the goalless draw in Bogotá.

The absent ones

Montiel and Marcos Acuña were not in the first leg against Santa Fe due to their respective injuries, forcing Coudet to modify the full-backs. The good news is that both have been cleared and have been called up for the match against Vélez, so they appear as options for the cup rematch. In the meantime, Thiago Almada also came under scrutiny after the draw: a fan, visibly upset, summed up his performance with a damning phrase: "Almada touched the ball three times." It's not an official statistic, but rather a comment from a fan that reflects the anger of a crowd that expects much more from one of River's major signings. On Wednesday, everyone will have to answer.

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