Clubs watch Argentinos Juniors to open spot in annual table | OneFootball

Argentinos Juniors will face Independiente Rivadavia tonight from 21:10 at the Juan Domingo Perón Stadium in Córdoba, in the final of the Copa Argentina, and will be looking to lift a trophy once again. However, if they succeed, several other teams will also be celebrating because it will give them a helping hand in the annual table as they fight for qualification to international cups.

The first thing to consider is that if they manage to win the title, the Bicho will secure a spot in next year’s Libertadores, but it will also open up a slot for entry into continental tournaments. Since they are fourth in the annual table with 51 points, their victory won’t change anything for Rosario Central (annual winner with 65) and Boca (56), who will enter the group stage with a win against River.

However, for the Millonario it could be good news amid the crisis they are going through, because although Marcelo Gallardo’s team is third with 52 points and in the Libertadores playoff zone, Argentinos winning the championship would eliminate a direct competitor for the cups.

On the other hand, for those clubs lower down in the table, the victory lap by the La Paternal team could indeed be a reason to celebrate. For Deportivo Riestra (5th, also with 51 points) and in the Sudamericana zone, the title would clear the path significantly, because if they finish in that spot and one of the top three wins the Clausura, they will automatically qualify for the Libertadores playoff zone. In that case, they would need the Bicho not to celebrate twice because if they also win the local tournament, the slot would go to Independiente Rivadavia as Copa Argentina runner-up.

The same need as Malevo, but with more urgency, is felt by San Lorenzo (49 points) and Racing (47 points), who are sixth and seventh respectively, and with few chances of playing in the Libertadores. What do they need? To win the remaining six points to finish as high as possible and hope that one or more slots open up. The other way is to win the Clausura, which is a bit more complicated.

To the list, we must add Barracas Central (47), Tigre (46), and Huracán (46), who will be closely following tonight’s match, since an Argentinos victory could clear their path towards the 2026 Sudamericana. In a similar position is Lanús (46), although since they will face Atlético Mineiro in the final of this edition, if they win, they will not only add an international star but will also qualify for next year’s Libertadores.

A bit further down the table, Estudiantes (42) and Independiente (41) still have some hope. To stay alive, both need to win all their remaining matches and cross their fingers that Argentinos wins the Cup, which would free up a slot. In addition, a Lanús victory in the continental final would be key so that their hopes for qualification do not fade away.

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