River vs Lanus
River Plate succumbed to one of the biggest defeats in the club’s history last time out, when they lost 2-0 away at newcomers Deportivo Riestra. That result left them on nine points in five Liga Profesional matches after three victories and two losses in five rounds, four points behind leaders. That campaign is still enough to stay into the Copa Libertadores’ zone in the aggregate table. River have been unbeaten in their last 11 league matches as the hosting side, winning seven and drawing four. Federico Gattoni, arriving from Belgium’s RSC Anderlecht, is the most relevant reinforcement in a total of five. Esequiel Barco left the club to join FC Spartak Moscow in Russia.
Lanus left good impressions in their last match before the Copa America break, when beating Racing Club 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Ramiro Carrera and Walter Bou. As a result, El Granate made it four league matches unbeaten (two wins and two draws) to accumulate eight points in the Liga Profesional, climbing into the Copa Sudamericana zone in the 2024 aggregate rankings. On a sorry note, Lanus haven’t claimed any victories in their last three on the road, drawing two and losing one. Carlos Izquierdoz (from Real Sporting de Gijon, Spain) and Eduardo Salvio (Pumas UNAM, Mexico) returned to the club while Leandro Pena joined River Plate.
River has been too irregular lately but at home it’s different as they are very strong and they will face this Lanus that won’t have their best striker, Walter Bou, due to injury and lost also Leandro Peña Fiore who joined River so I expect them to be in trouble here and River shouldn’t have that much of a problem to win at their own stadium.