River Plate Looks for an Epic Comeback at “El Monumental” Against Atlético Mineiro

River Plate is gearing up for a massive comeback attempt this Tuesday at home in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores semifinal against Atlético Mineiro, who hold a solid 3-0 lead from the first match and are looking to secure their ticket to the final in Belo Horizonte.

Coach Marcelo Gallardo knows River needs a “perfect night” to overturn the three-goal deficit set by “Galo” in the opener. “This is a team that won’t back down, despite not always being consistent, and that gives us hope. We feel confident at this stage,” Gallardo expressed.

River is aiming to have defender Marcos Acuña back after he was unexpectedly injured during warm-ups in Brazil, forcing Enzo Díaz to step in. For this decisive clash, River’s coaching staff is planning an aggressive lineup with three forwards: Colombian Miguel Borja, Facundo Colidio, and Pablo Solari, plus Ignacio Fernández or Manuel Lanzini, with Maximiliano Meza also under consideration.

A massive fan rally has been organized to lift River’s spirits and fuel hopes for a historic comeback. Meanwhile, Atlético Mineiro arrives in Buenos Aires with confidence from their 3-0 home win and their Argentine coach Gabriel Milito saying, “I know River won’t give up, but I’m also confident in our team’s strength. Our players are prepared to head to River’s stadium and play a serious, competitive match.”

Milito’s squad will be missing playmakers Bernard and Matías Zaracho due to injuries but will have Guilherme Arana in the left-back position alongside Paulinho and Rubens in midfield. Given Deyverson’s strong performance with two goals in the first leg, he might join Hulk in the attack instead of Rubens.

This match in Buenos Aires is all or nothing, with a coveted spot in the Copa Libertadores final on the line, set to take place on November 30 at the very same Estadio Monumental. In the other semifinal, Botafogo will try to lock down their finals spot as they head to Montevideo to face Peñarol on Wednesday. They have a commanding advantage after a 5-0 victory in Brazil.