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 be looking for another home win against Sarmiento to strengthen its place among the top eight.

Barracas Central will host Sarmiento de Junín this Thursday starting at 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 good form and earn three points that bring it even closer to qualification for the round of 16.

Barracas Central on the rise after an uneven start

After a start to the championship that fell short of expectations, Barracas managed to find its footing as the rounds went by. It currently has five matches without defeat, with three wins and two draws, a run that has lifted it into eighth place in Zone B.

With the decisive stretch drawing ever closer, a home win could solidify its place in the qualification spots and give it some breathing room in the battle to finish among the best teams in the group.

The Sudamericana on the horizon

Beyond its current domestic campaign, 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 the Florencio Sola Stadium, since its own stadium does not meet the requirements set by Conmebol.

Sarmiento and the fight to stay up

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, taking into account the pressure from teams whose averages are calculated differently.

Alongside its battle to preserve its top-flight status, Sarmiento still has a chance of breaking into the top eight. It currently sits 12th with 13 points and a win would leave it level with Barracas, although it will depend on other results to remain in that position.

A match with a lot at stake

With different but equally urgent objectives, the 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 place in the playoffs.

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