Rosario Central vs Atletico Tucuman
Rosario Central closed a more than decent campaign in the 2023 Liga Profesional through a scoreless away stalemate at Belgrano in an uneventful game. El Canalla are unbeaten in the last five in league action, but they won only one and drew four. As a result, Miguel Russo’s men ended up in eighth on 42 points, currently qualifying for the 2024 Copa Sudamericana. Central continue to hold an impressive streak at their own stadium: they haven’t lost any of the last 20 matches, winning ten and drawing ten. Afterwards, they lost 1-0 to second-tier side Chaco For Ever in the Copa Argentina second round. Striker Alejo Veliz has been sold to English club Tottenham Hotspur FC in the only relevant transfer loss of the winter.
Atletico Tucuman continue to improve under coaches Favio Orsi and Sergio Gomez. In the Liga Profesional round 27, the team secured a solid 2-0 away success at CA Central Cordoba to make it six league matches unbeaten, winning five and drawing one, which allowed them to climb into 11th spot of the respective table on 37 points, now trailing the last Copa Sudamericana spot by just three. On away turf, El Decano secured seven points from the last nine on offer. Furthermore, winger Ramiro Carrera returned to the club from Mexican side Cruz Azul.
Rosario Central will need to adapt to play without their top scorer Alejo Veliz who is now on the premier league, so I’ll trust Atletico not to lose here.