Leonardo Ponzio has officially confirmed his first starting lineup as interim manager of River Plate for Sunday’s Torneo Clausura match against Banfield at the Florencio Sola stadium, according to reports from TyC Sports and La Página Millonaria. Stepping into the role following the departure of Eduardo Coudet, Ponzio takes charge of a squad sitting in second-to-last place in Zona B, seeking an immediate response after a painful Copa Sudamericana elimination against Independiente Santa Fe.
Lineup Decisions and the Single Enforced Change
With just three training sessions under his belt since taking over from the technical secretariat, Ponzio opted for continuity rather than a massive overhaul, according to TyC Sports. The interim manager has chosen to keep the core group that started Wednesday’s continental clash, making only one forced adjustment due to injury. Midfielder Aníbal Moreno suffered a lumbar strain during the pre-match warmup and has been ruled out of the trip to Banfield. Fausto Vera will step into the central midfield role in his absence.
Fitness Statuses of Key Squad Members
Concerns surrounding several key players have been cleared ahead of Sunday’s 3:00 p.m. local time kickoff. Both Gonzalo Montiel and Sebastián Driussi emerged from the midweek match against Independiente Santa Fe without physical aftereffects, despite both having been substituted during the fixture, as reported by TyC Sports. Meanwhile, Joaquín Freitas—who had been slated to push for a return to the starting XI in place of Tomás Galván—will not feature as he nears a finalized transfer to Flamengo.
Confirmed Starting XI for Sunday
Match Details and Broadcast Information
The encounter between Banfield and River Plate corresponds to the seventh round of the Torneo Clausura. The match is scheduled to kick off at 3:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, broadcast live via ESPN Premium, with referee Leandro Rey Hilfer officiating at the Estadio Florencio Sola.
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