Ariel Holan Confirms Blas Riveros Injury: 'Felt a Hamstring Discomfort'

Cerro Porteño secured a crucial home victory against Sportivo Luqueño, but the win was marred by a muscle injury sustained by midfielder Blas Riveros. Coach Ariel Holan confirmed the setback in his post-match press conference, detailing the circumstances that led to Riveros's early exit.

"Unfortunately, Blas (Riveros) felt a discomfort in his hamstring, he felt a pinch," Holan explained. "We tried to have him hold on until the end, but avoiding it, we asked Cecilio Domínguez to stay further back to help him a bit more." Despite attempts to manage the issue, the decision was made during halftime to substitute Riveros, with Holan regretting that the injury occurred so close to the end of the first half.

Holan also addressed the substitution of Fabricio Domínguez, explaining it was a pre-arranged plan to limit his playing time to 60 minutes due to his recent return to football. "With Fabri, we had agreed, as we agreed with Blas last week, to do 60 minutes, but the truth is that he hadn't played football for quite some time and as a precaution I said no," Holan stated. He noted Domínguez's performance and intensity were positive before he was subbed off at 45 minutes.

Looking ahead, the Argentine coach expressed optimism regarding the integration of new signings. He highlighted favorable progress from Ignacio Aliseda and Juan Manuel Iturbe, as well as Gabriel Aguayo and Sergio Araújo. Holan also specifically mentioned the recovery of young fullback Marcelo Chaparro, aiming to instill confidence in the squad as they face a demanding schedule in both the local league and the Copa Libertadores.