Independiente will resume training this Saturday, beginning their preseason at the Santo Domingo facility in Villa Domínico. According to the Argentine News Agency, the squad led by Gustavo Quinteros will reconvene on Saturday morning at the club's sports complex in Villa Domínico. This is part of the preparation for the Rio de la Plata Series, where Independiente will play three matches at the Alfredo Victor Viera stadium: on January 10 against Alianza Lima of Peru, on January 13 against Millonarios of Colombia, and on January 16 against the hosts, Montevideo Wanderers, all at 21:00. To kick off the preparation for the first half of 2026, coach Quinteros has decided to promote seven players who will travel with the first team to Uruguay: Tomás Parmo, Josias Palais, Felipe Tempone, Alán Laprida, Luciano Barros Ayala, Nicolás Garrido, and Joel Medina. Additionally, the former Vélez coach will have the return of three players who were on loan last season: Ecuadorian midfielder Jhonny Quiñónez, defender Juan Manuel Fedorco (who will be taken into consideration), and forward Javier Ruiz (this player was brought back due to the persistent request of the head coach due to his great performance at Barracas Central). Furthermore, some players who were supposed to report on Saturday in Villa Domínico have been loaned out: defender Patricio Ostachuk, who joined Atlanta after his time at Tristán Suárez; midfielder Joel González, who moved to San Telmo; forward Santiago López, who will play at Tigre after his spell at Rosario Central; defender Santiago Salle, who will wear the Sarmiento de Junín jersey; forward Ignacio Maestro Puch, who will play for Puebla in Mexico after relegating with San Martín de San Juan; and defender Agustín Quiroga, who will join Central Córdoba de Santiago del Estero after his year at Chacarita Juniors. In parallel, there are players who returned from their loans but were sold, such as Nicolás Vallejo, who, after a great year at Liverpool of Uruguay, was transferred to León of Mexico, and Uruguayan Baltasar Barcia, who returned from Boston River of his country and was presented at Nacional de Montevideo a few days ago. There are also players for whom the club will seek a loan or sale, such as Quiñónez himself, midfielder Kevin López, forward Rodrigo Márquez, and Uruguayan goalkeeper Diego Segovia. Thus, without international competitions this year, Independiente will begin the season at the end of January when they host the Argentine football champion, Estudiantes de La Plata, in the first match of Group A of the Professional League Opening Tournament. There, the players will undergo routine medical examinations and some training sessions to officially kick off the preseason. The Avellaneda team will prepare at the Santo Domingo facility until Wednesday, January 7, when they will travel to Uruguay, specifically to the capital of Montevideo, to carry out the toughest part of the preseason, where they will seek to reach the best physical condition. There in Uruguay, the 'Rojo' will train at the 'Los Aromos' sports city, a facility belonging to Peñarol de Montevideo.
