Platense vs Boca
Platense came off their best league campaign in history as they finished as runners up in the 2023 Copa Liga Profesional after losing to Rosario Central in the final in Santiago del Estero. Nevertheless, El Calamar are on three winless league games in regular time (two stalemates and one loss). At home, they have been unbeaten in the last seven, winning four and drawing three. Coach Martin Palermo waved goodbye during the break and Sebastian Grazzini is now in charge to fight relegation (the side are just three points above the bottom spot in the point-average table excluding the newcomers), alongside 11 new faces.
Even though Boca Juniors beat Godoy Cruz 2-1 away in their last league game under interim boss Mariano Herron, it wasn’t enough to qualify for the 2024 Copa Libertadores as the side ended in sixth spot of the aggregate table. That win made it four league games unbeaten, winning two and drawing two, and broke a three-match winless run of one stalemate and two defeats on the road in domestic action. New coach Diego Martinez arrives alongside Cristian Lema (from Lanus) and Kevin Zenon (Union Santa Fe) while Valentin Barco was sold to English club Brighton & Hove Albion.
Boca is still in rebuilding mode after a poor season where they couldn’t even secure a place in Copa Libertadores 2024. They have a new coach, only a couple of new players and will miss here 4 or 5 players who would normally be starters (Marcos Rojo, Ezequiel Fernandez, Cristian Medina among others). Platense also has a new coach and new faces but they will be at home where they’ve been strong, and I think they should avoid a defeat here.