Velez – Platense
Velez Sarsfield, the defending champions of the Argentine league, had a disastrous start to the Torneo Apertura. In their first match under their new coach Sebastian Dominguez, the team suffered a 3-0 defeat away to Tigre, a side expected to fight to remain in the top division. This result marked their second loss in their last three league matches, alongside just one victory. On a positive note, Velez remain unbeaten in their last 19 home matches, with 14 wins and five draws since their 1-0 loss to Independiente in January of last year. Right-back Joaquín García fractured his ankle against Tigre and will be sidelined for several months. Furthermore, his usual replacement Agustin Lagos is also out injured. Platense had an almost perfect debut in the new season, performing far beyond their usual standards, and yet had to settle for a 1-1 draw against River Plate at home after conceding a goal in the 87th minute. Therefore, Sergio Gómez and Favio Orsi’s team collected their first point n the Torneo Apertura while they lost only one of their last four league matches, winning two and drawing one during that stretch. Velez showed a worrying performance in a big defeat at Tigre in the first round. They could need some time to adapt to the new coach and the important players that left, and Platense with their strong defensive skills is a team that can put them in trouble again.