Gamero's return to Millonarios brings good news: Contreras back from muscle injury

Alberto Gamero is barely back on the Millonarios bench and he's already dealing with a selection headache. The coach from Santa Marta, starting his second stint in charge of the blue-and-white side, named a squad of 20 players for the trip to face Deportivo Pereira at Palmaseca, in matchday 9 of the 2026-II BetPlay League. And the name grabbing all the attention is one that was barely in the plans just a few days ago: Rodrigo Contreras.

The Argentine forward had been carrying a grade-one strain in his left biceps femoris, the kind of muscle injury that typically sidelines a player for two or three weeks. Contreras hadn't played since the match against Águilas Doradas a couple of weeks back, but he's now training fully with the group and has been cleared to travel. So far this season, the forward has one goal and one assist, modest numbers, but his return gives Gamero another option up front for a game that looks like a tough test.

The other notable addition to the squad is Yeiner Romero, who makes the list and adds depth to the blue midfield. That's no small thing given the medical report that came out of the Bogotá derby: Millonarios lost Jhomier Guerrero and Leonai Souza to injury, two players who had been regular starters and who are missing from this call-up. Those two absences force Gamero to shuffle his lineup right in the week of his return.

Millonarios' 20 called up

• Goalkeepers: Burrai and Aguirre.
• Defenders: Martín, Barreiro, Mosquera, Banguero, Valencia and Llinás.
• Midfielders: Ruiz, Mackalister, Romero, Ureña, García, Darwin and Del Castillo.
• Forwards: Estupiñán, Chaverra, Castro, Angulo and Contreras.

With this group, Gamero will have to decide whether Contreras goes straight into the starting eleven or whether his return is handled cautiously from the bench, a sensible approach given it's a recent muscle injury. What's clear is that the coach already has a squad on his hands with fresh faces and notable absences, right for the match that marks his official return to the blue-and-white bench at Palmaseca.