Independiente vs Arsenal
Independiente played their worst game since coach Carlos Tevez’s arrival last Wednesday, when they couldn’t do anything to stop River Plate’s offensive power and lost 3-0 away from home. That defeat put an end to their eight-game unbeaten streak of five victories and three draws in league action and also displaced them from the top of the group A table: El Rojo are now second-placed on 18 points, trailing their last rivals by two. At home, Independiente secured ten points from the last 12 available.
Sarandi Arsenal want to leave good impressions before saying goodbye to the top flight. On Wednesday, the team managed a valuable 1-0 home success over Colon thanks to a penalty netted by Juan Bautista Cejas in the first half. El Viaducto made it four league matches unbeaten (two victories and two draws) to accumulate 11 points in the Copa Liga Profesional group A. However, the side are already condemned to return to the second division next season. Arsenal are on 16 away matches without a win, drawing four and losing 12 in that spell.
Independiente has a great opportunity here to recover from the midweek defeat at River, against the already relegated Arsenal that will have a couple of important missings in defense and midfield (Brochero, Chimino) to get closer to secure a place in the playoffs now that they are already safe from relegation.