Estudiantes de Río Cuarto became the first club relegated this season after losing at River Plate on Oct. 10, with four rounds still to play. Its drop to the second division, the Primera Nacional, was settled through the averages table, which ranks clubs by points per game over the seasons they have played in the top flight.
The second relegation place is still open. Under the rules, one club goes down on averages and another through the annual table, which adds the Apertura and Clausura together, and a club cannot fill both places. Because Estudiantes is also last on the annual table, that second drop goes to the next club from the bottom, and Aldosivi of Mar del Plata is the one in danger. The two meet on Oct. 18 in Río Cuarto. Deportivo Riestra, Central Córdoba, Platense and Atlético Tucumán are each a couple of good results from being safe.
At the other end, the annual table, which adds the Apertura and Clausura (the year’s two tournaments) together, hands out the last Copa Libertadores places (South America’s top club competition) and the Copa Sudamericana berths behind them. Seven clubs, from Independiente Rivadavia to Instituto de Córdoba, are within five points of each other. The race has a quirk: Belgrano already has a Libertadores place as Apertura champion, so the next club up inherits the Sudamericana spot Belgrano’s annual-table finish would otherwise take, which Gimnasia La Plata would hold today. The Clausura champion and the Copa Argentina winner (Boca, Banfield, Atlético Tucumán or Platense are still alive) also claim places, which can push the annual table’s cut-off down.
Racing Club is a different kind of story. Fans turned on the players and on club president Diego Milito after the 2-0 home loss to Belgrano, chanting “let them all go, not one should stay.” Racing, led by interim coach Sebastián “Chirola” Romero, has 12 points left to play and sits seven points from the last playoff place. Independiente, in the Zone A playoff places, visits on Oct. 18 at 2:45 p.m.
River Plate has a game in hand. It plays the postponed match against Sarmiento de Junín on Wednesday, then visits Belgrano, the Apertura champion, on Sunday. A Sarmiento win would lift it level with the three Zone B leaders on 22 points, so River’s game in hand is also a rival’s chance to join the top.
Boca Juniors plays three times in eight days: the Copa Sudamericana semifinal first leg against Vasco da Gama at La Bombonera on Oct. 13, Talleres in the league on Friday, and the return leg at Rio’s Maracanã on Oct. 20, a venue a Rio court cleared for Vasco. Also on Friday, Defensa y Justicia host Instituto de Córdoba in a meeting of the top two in Zone A.
Round 13 runs from Thursday, Oct. 15 to Monday, Oct. 19. The round of 16 takes the top eight of each zone.