Barracas Central host Sarmiento hoping to stay in the play-off spots | OneFootball

Barracas Central is going through its best spell in the tournament and will look for another home win against Sarmiento to strengthen its place among the top eight.

Barracas Central will host Sarmiento de Junín this Thursday from 3:00 p.m. at the Claudio Tapia Stadium, as part of Matchday 13 of the 2026 Torneo Apertura.

The team managed by Rubén Darío Insua will try to maintain its strong form and pick up three points that bring it even closer to qualifying for the round of 16.

Barracas Central on the rise after an uneven start

After a start to the tournament that fell short of expectations, Barracas managed to settle in as the rounds went by. It currently has five matches unbeaten, with three wins and two draws, a run that has lifted it into eighth place in Zone B.

With the decisive stretch getting closer and closer, a home victory could solidify its place in the qualification spots and give it some breathing room in the fight to finish among the group’s best.

The Sudamericana on the horizon

Beyond its current standing in the local tournament, the focus is also on what lies ahead. Next Tuesday, Barracas will make its international debut against Vasco da Gama in the 2026 Copa Sudamericana.

Given this scenario, it cannot be ruled out that Insua will choose to rotate the squad and rest some regular starters. In addition, the “Guapo” will have to relocate for that competition: it will play its home matches at Florencio Sola Stadium, since its own ground does not meet Conmebol’s required standards.

Sarmiento and the relegation battle

On the other side will be a Sarmiento side arriving with a major emotional boost. The Junín team is coming off a win in a direct relegation battle against Aldosivi, with goals from Cristian Zabala and Junior Marabel, a result that allowed it to breathe a little easier in the average points table.

However, the situation remains delicate: the “Verde” sits near the bottom and needs to keep picking up points to avoid falling into the relegation zone, considering the pressure from teams calculated under different averaging systems.

At the same time as its fight to stay up, Sarmiento still has a chance of breaking into the top eight. It currently sits 12th with 13 points and a win would pull it level with Barracas, although it will depend on other results to remain in that position.

A match with plenty at stake

With different but equally urgent objectives, this clash promises intensity: Barracas wants to cement its place in the qualification zone and keep making history, while Sarmiento will look to add points to improve its average and keep alive its hopes of fighting for a playoff spot.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.