Diego Placente has gathered 24 players for an Argentina Under-20 training cycle from Wednesday, November 11, to Saturday the 14th at the Lionel Andrés Messi complex. The list contains one international development: Lazio midfielder Bruno Galassi returns after missing the South American Games in Santa Fe through injury and is the only call-up currently playing outside Argentina.
Galassi, born in 2007, was born in Spain, developed in Real Madrid’s youth structure and continued his career in Italy. His return broadens Placente’s view of a generation combining locally based footballers with players shaped in different systems. The invitation does not guarantee a place at the South American Championship, but provides four days to demonstrate physical recovery, adaptability and understanding of the coach’s model.
The most notable absence is Tobías Andrada. River submitted a formal request for the midfielder, Lautaro Pereyra and Santiago Espíndola to remain with the first team under Leonardo Ponzio. All three had been considered for the youth squad, but the club prioritised their integration into senior work during the FIFA window. Goalkeeper Ramiro Buratti is therefore River’s only representative in the final group.
Placente selected four goalkeepers, eight defenders, five midfielders and seven forwards. The squad includes Racing’s Mateo Martínez, Gonzalo Escudero and Alejandro Tello; Independiente’s Juan Arrayago and Fernando Closter; Newell’s pair Jerónimo Gómez Mattar and Facundo Guch; Tigre forward Ian Subiabre; and Argentinos Juniors attacker Facundo Jainikoski. The balance allows full structures to be rehearsed and competition by unit to be assessed.
The Ezeiza camp is not an isolated gathering. Argentina are preparing for the Under-20 South American Championship in Colombia from January 22 to February 7, 2027. With fewer than three months remaining, every session carries selection value: measuring condition, consolidating a base that appeared at the South American Games and identifying who can sustain intensity when preparation becomes official competition.
River’s request also reveals a familiar tension in youth development. The national team needs access to its leading prospects, while clubs seek to integrate those already approaching senior level. The two interests are not automatically opposed, but they require negotiation over timing and workloads. For Andrada, Pereyra and Espíndola, staying may increase proximity to the first team; for Placente, it creates a need to test alternatives.
The call-up is therefore a moving snapshot rather than a sealed list for Colombia. Galassi returns with a tangible opportunity, Buratti maintains River’s presence and the other players seek to turn one week into continuity. Placente must leave the cycle with sharper information about positions, combinations and physical responses. The next task is to convert those observations into a competitive base capable of reaching the tournament with clear hierarchies and room to grow.
