Independiente want to secure their play-off spot away to Deportivo Riestra | OneFootball

El Rojo visits Malevo this Friday with the chance to move to within one step of qualification. They are on the rise and want to keep their great momentum going.

Independiente will face a key clash this Friday against Deportivo Riestra, starting at 5:00 PM at the Guillermo Laza Stadium, on matchday 16 of the 2026 Apertura Tournament. Gustavo Quinteros' team is in full growth mode and has a great chance to secure its place in the playoffs.

El Rojo has put an uneven start behind it and is going through its best spell of the championship. Over the last month, it has picked up three wins in four matches, including the derby victory over Racing Club, the draw against Boca Juniors at La Bombonera, and the solid win over Defensa y Justicia.

With 21 points, Independiente sits sixth in Zone A and controls its own destiny to finish among the top eight. A win in Bajo Flores would leave it practically through to the round of 16, with just one matchday left before the end of the regular phase.

As for the team, Quinteros will have to make one adjustment: Ignacio Malcorra will not be in the squad due to ankle discomfort after playing through injections in recent matches. He would be replaced by Lautaro Millán, in a lineup that will look to maintain its intensity and strong collective play.

On the other side, Riestra comes in struggling. The Bajo Flores side has yet to win in the tournament and sits bottom of the table, making it an accessible opponent on paper, although it badly needs points to end the skid.

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