Platense vs Defensa y Justicia
Platense put up a good fight on their visit to Boca Juniors last weekend, but they weren’t able to secure points and ended up losing 3-1 in their Copa Liga Profesional debut. That result means El Calamar are now on four league matches without a win, drawing two and losing two since beating Sarmiento 1-0 in July. However, Martin Palermo’s men remain safe from potential relegation threats for now. On a positive note, Platense won four of their last six home matches, losing the other two.
Defensa y Justicia will make his debut in this competition on Sunday: last weekend, they had their MD1 match against Godoy Cruz at home postponed as the visitors couldn’t travel to Buenos Aires due to heavy rain. Their 2-0 away defeat at Union Santa Fe with an alternative XI put an end to their five-match unbeaten streak of three victories and two stalemates in league action and El Halcon remain out of the Copa Libertadores’ spots in the aggregate table, trailing Boca Juniors in fourth by three. On away turf, Defensa won only one of their last seven domestic matches, drawing two and losing four. On Wednesday 23, Defensa drew 1-1 away at Botafogo FR in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals.
Defensa plays the return leg of Copa Sudamericana quarterfinals midweek so they will rest most regulars here and Platense should take advantage of this.