River Plate vs Bragantino – News and Probable Lineups

River Plate and Red Bull Bragantino are set to clash in the Copa Sudamericana at Estadio Monumental de Nunez on Thursday morning in a key fixture.

Leading their group with 10 points and undefeated in the tournament, River Plate is experiencing a strong run under Eduardo Coudet and has the chance to secure direct progression to the Round of 16 in front of their supporters. Bragantino, on the other hand, arrives in Buenos Aires seeking an essential result to keep their hopes of topping the group alive.

Match overview

River Plate boasts a stellar campaign, sitting at the top of Group H of the 2026 Copa Sudamericana with 10 points, thanks to three wins and one draw. Beyond their solid performance in continental play, they have also advanced to the Torneo Apertura final, highlighting the improvement under head coach Eduardo Coudet.

In their latest Sudamericana match, River Plate secured a 2-1 victory against Carabobo in Venezuela, with Maximiliano Salas netting a crucial 96th-minute winner. This victory followed their 1-0 win over Bragantino in Braganca Paulista, where Santiago Beltran saved a penalty and Lucas Martinez Quarta found the back of the net for the winning goal.

With their win against Bragantino at Estadio Nabi Abi Chedid, Los Millonarios achieved a total of 10 tournament wins in Brazil, tying Boca Juniors in overall historical standings.

After two away fixtures, River Plate returns to Estadio Monumental de Nunez, where they are currently on a three-match winning streak and have claimed nine wins out of their last 11 matches across all competitions since February 18.

Coudet’s tactical approach emphasizes high pressing, swift transitions, and attacking intensity, while the defense, including Gonzalo Montiel, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Lautaro Rivero, and Marcos Acuna, has been pivotal for their solid performance, with two clean sheets and only two goals conceded so far.

Under the new tiebreaker criteria established by CONMEBOL, Red Bull Bragantino must clinch victory in Buenos Aires to counter their first-leg loss and remain in contention for the top spot in the grouping.

Massa Bruta is currently level on points with third-placed Carabobo and recognizes that failing to win on Thursday would put them under severe pressure heading into the crucial final group match.

Bragantino previously achieved a commanding 6-0 win against Blooming in their last Sudamericana appearance on May 8. However, they have faced challenges defensively, conceding four goals to date in the tournament.

Vagner Mancini’s side comes into Thursday’s clash with renewed morale after edging a 2-0 victory over Vitoria in the Brasileirao, ending a string of two back-to-back losses in domestic play.

Team News

River Plate will be missing several key players, including their top scorer Sebastian Driussi, who is out with a knee injury, and forward Agustin Ruberto, who is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.

In defense, coach Eduardo Coudet will not have the services of Gonzalo Montiel, Paulo Diaz, Tobias Ramirez, and Juan Portillo. Montiel has been a crucial player for the team, contributing four goals so far this season.

The midfield is also hampered by injuries, with 20-year-old Giorgio Costantini still sidelined and Anibal Moreno unavailable due to a knee issue.

On the Bragantino side, Matheus Fernandes and seasoned midfielder Fabinho are also unavailable, limiting their options for ball recovery and buildup play in central areas.

They will also be without Davi Gomes, Brazilian goalkeeper Fabricio, and 26-year-old defender Guzman Rodriguez for the trip to Buenos Aires.

River Plate probable starting XI:

Armani; Gimenez, Pezzella, Gonzalez, Vina; Silva, Gallop; Quintero, Meza, Subiabre; Salas

Bragantino probable starting XI:

Volpi; Hurtado, Vinicius, Marques, Capixaba; Gabriel, Sosa; Barbosa, Herrera, Mosquera; Pitta

Bragantino arrives at Estadio Monumental after a hectic schedule of four matches in just 16 days, having been eliminated from the Copa do Brasil by Mirassol and suffering a 2-0 league defeat to Santos on May 10. Meanwhile, River Plate enters the fixture having secured four consecutive victories across all competitions and winning nine of their last 11 Sudamericana encounters at Monumental.

The form guide favors River Plate, backed by statistical analysis, and considering the disparity in quality and squad depth between the teams, Coudet’s men are expected to secure all three points in front of their home crowd.

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