In search of recovering game and results, Boca and River will appear this Sunday in apparently simple commitments, but the present of both does not give them any guarantee. Hugo Ibarra’s team, which comes from a poor draw at home against Central, will visit Defense and Justice starting at 8:30 p.m., while Marcelo Gallardo’s team, who left two points in Sarandí with a pale equality against Arsenal , will host Central Córdoba from 18:00, on a Sunday that will also include Independiente’s visit to Godoy Cruz in Mendoza and the clash between the downtrodden Lanús and Arsenal.
Look for the first outside
Since Ibarra took charge of the team on date 7, Boca hasn’t won as a visitor, so they need to break that streak as soon as possible. Defeats with San Lorenzo, Argentinos and Patronato and a goalless draw against Racing last week is the xeneize harvest outside the Bombonera, so he is forced to reverse those numbers if he still intends to fight for the title. To make matters worse, every week a new internal conflict is added that conspires against coexistence and the search for good results.
So far, the “Xeneize” team has 20 points in the domestic tournament, nine less than the leader Atlético Tucumán (29), but the most worrying thing is its performance, which disappoints its fans week after week. For this reason, the focus of attention and criticism is fixed on the actions of Vice President Juan Román Riquelme and his Football Council made up of former club players who decide the football course with more mistakes than successes.
Opposite will be Defense and Justice, which is far from the fearsome team of until not long ago due to the numerous casualties it suffered and which accumulates 15 units and a streak of four presentations without success, with two draws and two defeats. In addition, Florencio Varela’s team knows that they will have to find a new coach, since Sebastián Beccacece announced that he will leave the club at the end of the year.
Leave irregularity behind
River, which is going through a stage of irregularity in its operation and that is reflected in some results, will receive Central Córdoba from Santiago del Estero with the need to win to keep their chances of fighting for the Professional League title.
The departures of Julián Álvarez and Enzo Fernández still seem to be a great burden for Gallardo’s team, who did not find replacements to match the two figures who left. In addition, important references from other times such as Enzo Pérez and Juan Fernando Quintero are not in their best present while several of the latest reinforcements who did not finish settling into the team.
Seven points behind leaders Atlético Tucumán, River still seems to have the tournament in their sights and their chances remain intact, but the games they have missed contradict that thought. On the other side will appear Central Córdoba, which improved thanks to Abel Balbo and won three of its last four games. That data and the irregularity of River give a touch of uncertainty to a duel that in another context would have a candidate almost sung.
With the DT threatened
Independiente will visit from 15:30 the difficult Godoy Cruz, one of the surprises of the Professional Football League (LPF), after a complex week crossed by threats to coach Julio Falcioni.
Independiente, in the midst of a complicated year due to the postponement of the elections until October, the lack of sports results and the worn relationship between fans and players, has only 13 points in the tournament and 29 in the annual table. To make matters worse, parades appeared during the week with threats to the coach, who has only been in charge for three games, with two draws and one defeat, in what is his third cycle in the institution.
“Fal$ioni, anti Red. Go to the front or tomatolas. This is not Banfield”, pointed out the anonymous parades placed on Alsina street, meters from the stadium. With this climate, the Red will have to appear before the toned Godoy Cruz, who from the hand of his star player Martín Ojeda (has 9 goals and 11 assists in the season) and his Uruguayan scorer Salomón Rodríguez (11 goals and two goal passes). He is in the first place and aspires to reach the Copa Sudamericana.
Another team in trouble
Lanús, who has not won for 10 games, is last and with his squad threatened by parades, will play from 1:00 pm at home against Arsenal, in a duel with more expectations in the stands than on the field.
The arrival of Frank Kudelka could not change the dismal football present of Lanús, which has accumulated two draws and eight losses, in addition to being eliminated in the round of 16 of the South American Cup. To make matters worse, three parades appeared in the vicinity of the stadium, one of them with a threatening tone that read “Players: win or walk”, accompanied by the image of a flame of fire and a car, referring to what happened in Mar del Plata , where Aldosivi bars set fire to five player cars after a loss to Godoy Cruz.