Although the postponed date 9 still remains to be completed, this Sunday 15 of the 16 teams classified for the playoffs and four of the eight round of 16 matches were defined of the Apertura Tournament, which will be played in a single match on the court of the best placed, and without sporting advantage: in case of a tie in the 90 minutes there will be overtime and, if the tie persists, penalties.
Boca and River still do not know their rivals, although they do know at what stage of the championship they could meet again. Claudio Ubeda’s team, which finished second in Zone A, behind Estudiantes de La Plata, will collide with Huracán, the seventh in B, or with Gimnasia La Plataif Vélez moves Xeneize to the third step; while those led by Eduardo Coudet, who ended up as escorts for Independiente Rivadavia, they would face San Lorenzo or Defensa y Justicia.
With the table as configured, The only phase in which they could cross is in the final. For that, Boca would have to beat the winner of the duel between Argentinos Juniors and Lanús in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, the remaining team from Independiente Rivadavia, Unión (for the moment), Talleres and Belgrano; and River, do the same with the winner of Vélez and – for now – Gimnasia La Plata, and then, wait for a rival from the combo that makes up Estudiantes, Racing, Rosario Central and Independiente.
The 0 to 0 between Racing and Huracán ratified the Globo among the classified teams and gave the Academy the point it needed to unseat Barracas Central. In this way, those led by Diego Martínez finished in seventh place, and Racing, in eighth. The Academy, disapproved by its public and with a streak of six games without wins, will be measured in La Plata with Estudiantesthe leader of Zone B, in a reissue of the Clausura 2025 final, which was left in the hands of those led by Eduardo Domínguez; Huracán, meanwhile, will face Boca or Vélez, as a visitor.
To advance to the round of 16, Racing needed a combination of results: that Tigre and Sarmiento did not win, something that finally happened thanks to Rosario Central and Belgrano de Córdoba. In Arroyito, without Ángel Di María and with an alternative team, Canalla tied 1-1 with Matador, remaining in fourth place and leaving Diego Dabove’s team without a chance, which was the leader until date 6 and ended with eleven games without wins. So, Central will play in the round of 16 against Independientein the Giant. Belgrano, which defeated Verde de Junín 4-0, also with a majority of substitutes, will be Talleres’ rival, so there will be a classic from Cordoba at the Kempeswith the possibility that the provincial government authorizes the presence of the Belgrano public.
On the other hand, Gimnasia defeated Argentinos Juniors 2-0 in El Bosque, achieving its sixth victory and, although it did not climb positions, it was not surpassed either and finished in sixth place, so will go in the round of 16 against Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s Vélez in Liniers, or against Bocaat Alberto J. Armando. El Bicho, who was competing for second place, came third, so they will be home to Lanús, whom they already beat in the regular phase, also at the Diego Maradona.
This Monday three games will be played that will finish defining the draw. Defense and Justice will visit Gimnasia y Esgrima, from Mendoza, with the obligation to succeed to get among the eight: If he achieves this, he will place eighth, leaving Unión out and facing Independiente Rivadavia in the round of 16, in Mendoza.
But there is a key detail: if they win by at least two goals difference, they will also surpass San Lorenzo, climb to seventh place and, in that case, would face River.
Vélez, in turn, receives Newell’s with the need to win by seven goals to finish second in Zone A, and Leprosy no longer has a chance of being classified. If he achieves that goal, he will be a rival of Huracán and Boca will face Gimnasia La Plata; Otherwise, Fortín will face Lobo and Boca will play against Huracán.
On the other hand, Estudiantes de Río IV will receive Instituto de Córdoba, which is not out of the fight either, although its classification It also depends on a miracle: They must win by seven goals to equal Unión in points and surpass them by goal difference, and also hope that Defensa y Justicia does not win at the Víctor Legrotaglie.
The round of 16 will be played between Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10; the quarters, between Tuesday the 12th and Wednesday the 13th; The semifinals will take place between Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th; and the final will be on Sunday the 24th, in a neutral stadium.
