Preview: Banfield vs. Argentinos Juniors
Two teams at the opposite end of the Argentina Primera Division standings will lock horns on Sunday night as Banfield hosts Argentinos Juniors at Estadio Florencio Sola.
The hosts are aiming to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, while the visitors have won their last three league outings.
A poor run of results cost Javier Sanguinetti his job at Banfield, but his replacement Julio Cesar Falcioni has not had the most encouraging start at the Buenos Aires outfit.
Five of Falcioni’s six games in charge since his May 10 appointment have been defeats, with the only victory the 2-0 triumph over Rosario Central on May 29.
A 3-0 victory over Argentino de Merlo in the Copa Argentina looked as though it could have been the catalyst to turn El Taladro’s season around, but they slipped straight back into old habits last time out against Belgrano, suffering a 3-1 defeat.
Falcioni will know that his side need to pick up victories and fast, as they currently sit second-bottom of the league on 18 points from 21 matches, having won three matches at home all season – only one team has a worse away record.
Meanwhile, Argentinos Juniors will almost certainly not be winning Argentina’s Primera Division for the fourth time in the club’s history given that River Plate have a healthy 18-point deficit over El Bicho, and a 10-point cushion over second-placed Talleres.
However, they remain on course to challenge for the Copa Libertadores, with Gabriel Milito guiding his side through to the knockout stages.
El Bicho find themselves in ninth position in the table, a place below where they finished last season, but recent victories against Defensa y Justicia, Velez Sarsfield and Platense means that Milito’s men can make it four wins on the spin this weekend.
Argentinos have only taken 12 points from their 10 away trips so far this campaign, but confidence will be high in Milito’s camp as they take on a side with one of the worst home records in the division.
Banfield Argentine Primera Division form:
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Banfield form (all competitions):
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Argentinos Juniors Argentine Primera Division form:
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Argentinos Juniors form (all competitions):
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We say: Banfield 0-2 Argentinos Juniors
Banfield have one of the worst home records in the league and are on a terrible run of form at the moment, so we think the away side will take all three points here.
Argentinos have won their last three and do not look to be slowing down any time soon.