The 2022 season hasn’t gone according to plan for River Plate. The legendary Argentine club is seventh in the Liga Pro and nine points off of first-place Atletico Tucuman.
There could still be silverware in River Plate’s future. River will visit Patronato de Parana on Wednesday in the Copa Argentina quarterfinals. Just eight teams remain in the Argentine domestic cup competition.
Neither side is in particularly good form ahead of the quarterfinal match. Patronato de Parana are winless in three straight Liga Pro matches. River Plate lost three of their last four league games.
The Copa Argentina will give both sides the chance to put their league form to the side. Progress to the semifinals of the tournament is on offer to the winner.
River Plate reached the quarterfinals with a 4-0 win against Defensa y Justicia in the round of 16. Pablo Solari scored a hat-trick to send River Plate through. Lucas Beltran added a goal as River Plate ran wild against Defensa y Justicia.
Meanwhile, Patronato de Parana progressed with a 2-1 victory against Gimnasia LP. Marcelo Luciano Estigarribia scored on either side of a Franco Soldano goal for Gimnasia LP. Patronato de Parana’s Jose Barreto was sent off in the dying moments of the game. He will miss the quarterfinal on Wednesday.
River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo has two players in the treatment room ahead of the quarterfinal. Midfielder Rodrigo Aliendro will miss the remainder of the season with a head injury. Defender Robert Rojas has a broken leg and is unlikely to return until October.
Patronato de Parana manager Facundo Sava could be without Francisco Alvarez. The midfielder is recovering from a muscle injury.
Wednesday’s quarterfinal match will be the first meeting of the season between Patronato de Parana and River Plate. River are on a three-match winning streak against Patronato de Parana. However, all three fixtures were at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium.
River Plate have a record of 4W-0D-2L in the last six games versus Patronato de Parana. They outscored Patronato de Parana 14-6 in the teams’ last six matches.
Wednesday’s match should be close and cagey, with both teams trying to find a goal. The cup fixture could be a case of trying not to lose, rather than to win.
Patronato de Parana will get the draw in the end against River Plate. The quarterfinal should go to extra time with anything liable to happen after a full-time draw.