The Superclásico is approaching: who are the league leaders River and Boca who will clash at the Monumental

The axioms in football are many and sometimes antagonistic to each other, which is why it is advisable to take them lightly. There is one who says that the classics are played with experts, with “men”. And if the maxim has any validity, the coach Martin Demichelis has someone to count on: between FrancoArmani, Milton helmet AND Ignacio Fernandezthree who were in the final of the Copa Libertadores de América 2018, have accumulated 46 Superclásicos.

Franco Armani will be the starter and captain on Sunday at the Monumental. The fans will applaud him like every time he plays for Núñez because he has become an idol for the titles and for his performances against his eternal rival. El Pulpo played 15 matches River against Mouth: won 7, drawn 5 and lost 3; They scored 10 goals and kept 7 clean sheets. He was fundamental in the Libertadores of Madrid and also in the Argentine Super Cup playing in Mendoza in March 2018.

Another one who will be there from the start is Ignacio Fernandez, which is showing a higher level than last season. It remains to be decided where Nacho will play, who performs better when he moves lying on the right. On the last day, against Banfield, Demichelis put him as second striker and he struggled to find his balance. What are the 34-year-old midfielder’s numbers against Boca? Won 6, drew 4 and lost 3; He scored one goal (Copa Libertadores 2019), provided 3 assists and was sent off once.

The rest of the references, Milton helmet, will occupy a place on the substitutes’ bench. The 35-year-old defender, a starter in both last year’s classics, has already recovered from surgery on the meniscus of his right knee and will be an alternative for both the right-back (Herrera) and the left-back (Díaz). Chanchi also smiles at the statistics against Xeneize: he won 7, drew 6 and lost 5.

But Armani, Fernández and Casco are not the only surviving Madrid players in the team: Gonzalo Martinez, rehabilitating from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, scored the third goal at the Bernabéu, and substitute goalkeeper Ezequiel Centurión was part of the delegation to Spain. Other: Demichelis’ assistants, Germán Lux and Javier Pinolathey also raised the Libertadores issue.

The defender deserves a special section Ramiro Funes Mori: He has never lost against Boca in the 8 games played (4 wins and 4 draws; he scored a headed goal in the 2-1 win at the Bombonera in 2014).

Boca appears for River. And Demichelis knows he has “bosses” to duel with.

Boca: an expert team to visit the Monumental

References are usually key in these types of meetings. And if the Superclásico is a duel of great pressure, it becomes even more so when the situation is not favourable. So it’s not a coincidence Diego Martínez thinks of a team with a high average age play at the Monumental. Beyond the youngsters who will be in the headlines, it’s a game for seasoned players.

In this context there are those who have the thorn in their side of the last two Superclásicos. Last year, without going any further, River won both classics. It was 1 to 0 at the Monumental, on May 7, with a penalty from Miguel Borja, and 2 to 0 at the Bombonera, on October 1, with a shout from Salomón Rondón and another from Enzo Díaz. If training courses are revised, Only one player who started in both matches has a guaranteed place for this Sunday: Sergio Romero.

The goalkeeper, who turned 37 on Thursday, is one of the protagonists of the dressing room. Nicola Valentini He also played up front in both losses, but will be on the bench this weekend. Christian Medina He started in the first and came off the bench in the second. Equi Fernandez he was a substitute on both occasions; He also entered Núñez and was expelled. Lucas Blondel and Ezequiel Bullaude They were in the match in the last duel and could do it again now. Luis Advincula he played in May, but not in October. Miguel Merentiel He entered the one-on-one played in Núñez and also received the red card. Dario Benedetto He played as “9” in La Bombonera and this time he has the chance to join the team.

And if it’s Pipa, he still has a debt for the match in Madrid. Perhaps he will be the player who will experience the Superclásico with greater tension. For the recent past, but also for everything that he has generated further back. In practice this Thursday he shared the attack Luca Langoni. Then they played Edinson Cavani and Merentiel.

The coexistence between the two “9s” worked against the Tiger -Pipa and the Beast-, both of whom scored goals. Will it be repeated against River? The Uruguayans played the last part of the match with Lanús. Today Edi’s level is far from reliable.

Then we will have to see who will come in from the start: Advíncula, Lema, Figal, Blanco enter the defense. Although Diego Martínez also tried with Weigandt, Anselmino, Valentini, Saracchi. In the middle he stopped Blondel, Campuzano, Bullaude and Zenón on one side and Saralegui, Medina, Equi and Fabra on the other.

The coach, dealing with his first River-Boca, doesn’t want to show his cards.