A Tactical Headache for Coudet
A left adductor strain suffered by Gonzalo Montiel has set off alarm bells at River Plate. The captain and defensive leader picked up the injury during the team's win over Argentinos Juniors and has been ruled out of the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana round of 16 against Independiente Santa Fe, scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, at 9:30 PM Argentina time (8:30 PM ET) at El Campín Stadium in Bogotá, located 2,600 meters (about 8,530 feet) above sea level—a factor that often affects visiting teams.
Montiel's absence, combined with those of Marcos Acuña (right hamstring tear) and Sebastián Driussi (calf tear), has forced Eduardo Coudet to scramble for emergency solutions in a position where the squad has been left decimated.
The Injuries Shaking Up the Squad
| Player | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gonzalo Montiel | Left adductor strain | Did not travel to Colombia |
| Marcos Acuña | Right hamstring tear | Recovering in Buenos Aires |
| Sebastián Driussi | Calf tear | In rehabilitation |
Additionally, due to the good-faith list limit imposed by the tournament's regulations, Giovanni González, Francisco Ortega, Mauro Arambarri, and Lucas Beltrán were left out. Fabricio Bustos, meanwhile, was separated from the squad for institutional reasons and is currently seeking a new club.
Martínez Quarta: The Unprecedented Gamble
Facing this scenario, the Chacho has decided to experiment with Lucas Martínez Quarta as a right back—a position the 'Chino' has occupied only four times in his entire career:
- 2021: at Fiorentina under Cesare Prandelli, in a 3-2 loss to AC Milan.
- 2022: again against the Rossoneri, playing the final 45 minutes as number 4 after Lorenzo Venuti's injury.
- October 10, 2023: with the Argentine national team, coming on as a right back against Peru during World Cup qualifiers after Montiel was injured.
- 2024: in a pre-Copa América friendly against Ecuador, entering for the last five minutes in that position.
This time, he will start there in a high-stakes international match. The experiment highlights Coudet's willingness to prioritize experience over natural positioning in a game where altitude and a hostile crowd will test River's composure.
The Other Option: Youth Without a Contract
The natural alternative would be Ángel Yutiel Susano, a 19-year-old defender born on January 31, 2007, in Isidro Casanova (La Matanza), who plays in the Reserve team and does not even have a professional contract with the club. Susano, nicknamed 'Terry', played 14 Reserve matches in 2026 and scored one goal, but his lack of experience in matches of this magnitude raises doubts.
Coudet brought him to Bogotá and included him in the first-team squad for the first time, but all signs point to Martínez Quarta's experience winning out in the starting lineup.
River's Likely Starting XI
With four center-backs in the backline, the team Coudet would field is:
Santiago Beltrán; Lucas Martínez Quarta, Nicolás Otamendi, Lautaro Rivero, Facundo González; Aníbal Moreno, Tobías Andrada; Joaquín Freitas, Thiago Almada; Ángel Correa and Rafael Santos Borré.
The return leg will be played on August 26 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The winner of this tie will face either São Paulo or Bolívar in the quarterfinals.