At the start of preseason in San Martín de los Andes, River Plate reports injuries to two key players: Franco Armani has a muscular issue in his right calf, possibly a tear, and Marcos Acuña suffers from trauma to a left toe finger. The club is accelerating the addition of reinforcements like Matías Viña while adjusting its planning.
River Plate began its preseason in San Martín de los Andes with physical setbacks affecting two starters. Franco Armani, the main goalkeeper, is dealing with a muscular injury in his right calf. Although there is no official medical report, internally a tear is estimated with three weeks of recovery, which would keep him out of the summer friendlies: Sunday against Millonarios and Saturday the 17th against Peñarol, both in Maldonado, Uruguay. In his absence, Jeremías Ledesma would take the goal, provided he remains in the squad. The technical staff is cautiously evaluating his progress, as he might arrive just in time for the debut in the 2026 Apertura Tournament, scheduled for the weekend of January 24.
Meanwhile, Marcos Acuña is doing differentiated tasks due to trauma to a left toe finger. He will be monitored day by day, with the intention of not risking him in the first friendly and adding him in the second if the discomfort subsides.
In parallel, Marcelo Gallardo and the board are seeking to bolster the team. River made a formal offer for Flamengo's Matías Viña, who will soon travel to Argentina for the medical check and sign a one-year contract. He is expected to join the preseason in the south on Monday. Additionally, midfielder Tomás Galván returns from his loan at Vélez Sarsfield, which did not exercise the purchase option, and will be considered by Gallardo for the 2026 season.
Regarding Armani's recovery, while some sources indicate optimism for the debut against Deportivo Riestra, others suggest it could be tight against Barracas Central, highlighting the need for caution.
