Velez Sarsfield climbed into the top of the group 6 table on eight points thanks to a 2-1 away success at Huracan last Saturday even though coach Mauricio Pellegrino fielded a mostly alternative XI. The team remain unbeaten with two wins and two draws in this competition and will advance to the Fase Campeonato if they win here. Velez succumbed to a single defeat across their last nine domestic games at Estadio Jose Amalfitani, winning four and drawing four. Velez won 2-0 at home against Deportivo Cali from Colombia in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana’s round-of-16 on Tuesday 24. Velez Sarsfield first-choice goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez tested positive for Covid-19 and will miss out while his usual substitute Lucas Hoyos is self-isolating due to compatible symptoms.
Gimnasia wasted a big opportunity last Sunday when they drew 0-0 away at Patronato in spite of having played against ten men for almost 60 minutes. El Lobo is on three games without a win (two draws and one defeat), which dropped them down to the third spot in group 6 on five points, two behind second-placed Huracan.
Even though Gimnasia players had a terrible week after Diego Maradona’s death, I think they will try to remember him with a solid performance and they need it to keep their chances of qualifying alive.