Aldosivi and Defensa y Justicia kick off the Apertura tournament | OneFootball

The Shark and the Hawk face off this Thursday at 17:00 at the José María Minella.

Aldosivi and Defensa y Justicia will go head-to-head this Thursday at 17:00 at the José María Minella Stadium, marking the debut for both teams in the 2026 Torneo Apertura of the Professional League. The Mar del Plata side arrives with the need to leave behind their fight against relegation, while the Hawk will be looking to change their image after a poor end to last season.

The team led by Guillermo Farré managed to stay in the division on the final matchday of 2025, when they defeated San Martín de San Juan 3-2 and sent the Santo back to the Primera Nacional. With that memory still fresh, Aldosivi made a strong move in the transfer market and added 13 new signings, with Mauro da Luz and Junior Arias being the latest additions to strengthen the attack.

During the preseason, the Shark played two friendlies. First, they faced Atlanta, drawing 0-0 and winning 1-0, and then played against Platense, where they drew 0-0 and won 2-1, leaving a good impression ahead of the start of the tournament.

For their part, Defensa y Justicia ended a 2025 to forget, missing out on both the playoffs and the Copa Sudamericana, meaning that in 2026 they will only compete at the domestic level. Given this scenario, the management decided to renew hopes with high-profile signings, bringing in Ever Banega and Rubén Botta, with the clear intention of fighting at the top and dreaming of their first title in their history in Argentine football.

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