The 2024 League Cup begins: the nominations, the surprises and the frenetic daily life of the first six events

Once again we play to score points in Argentine football. This Thursday the curtain will rise on four of the 14 matches of the first round of the League Cup which will take place over four days. Yes, the 28 teams continue. A unique spectacle, given that there is almost no other championship in the world with so many participants in the same tournament: the US MLS has 29, but with a different dispute system. An organization praised and applauded by its creators – the leaders, of course – but which inevitably goes against competitiveness and the quest to raise standards.

The fact is that however fertile the inferiors and pastures of this terrain are, it is impossible for there to be 700 footballers – an average of 25 per team – at First Division level. And even less so in a country that exports – often loses – talent – ​​bleeds – due to an economy that today does not even compete with the poorer neighboring countries. It’s not just a question of players, the raw material of the show. Also there aren’t that many top level referees to referee so many challenging matches and many times there isn’t even a time grid so matches don’t overlap.

Despite their decreasing level, the tournaments – and it happened in 2023 – were very close. The proof is this there were three different samples between League, League Cup and Argentine Cup (River, Rosario Central and Estudiantes de La Plata) and that the struggles to access international competitions and avoid relegation were more than exciting. It seems like a contradiction, but it was true. And it will continue to be…

In this 2024 the calendar turned. It will start with the Professional League Cup and end with the Professional League. At the end of the second semester the relegations will be defined – for now two, one by average and another by default – and the tickets for the Liberators and the South American. The tournament that starts this Thursday will be the same one that crowned Rosario Central just over a month ago. The 28 teams will be divided into two zones. There will be 14 events – including classic or inter-zonal matches – and the four best in each zone will enter the playoffs from the quarter-finals. They will be single matches and on a neutral pitch.

The champion will be known on May 5th. Yes, it will be an express tournament. It will be the 100 Days Cup, with the particularity that in the first 27 6 dates -84 matches- will be played. And there’s more: on May 12th, with the very cool Olympic return, the Professional League, the second tournament of the year, will kick off. The winner will almost not be able to toast the celebrations.

Why all the rush? Because 2024 is the year of the Copa América. The winter break, in fact, will only arrive on June 12th. So, with five dates of the 27-day tournament played, the dancing will stop until July 21st and play will continue until the weekend of December 15th. But that will be another story.

The market and the candidates

The market, which will only close on Friday 2 February, was marked by austerity. Most clubs have had more downs than ups and that doesn’t require much explanation. THE economic uncertainty that haunts Argentines is also a cause for concern for leaders. And, above all, for the players. The exodus towards nearby – or less nearby – leagues is increasing, where salaries are much more competitive.

In that panorama, River and Boca continue to be the most powerful, although they were far from doing crazy things with their treasures. However, Millonario has only made one signing so far (Uruguayan Nicolás Fonseca) and Xeneize only two (Cristian Lema and Kevin Zenón). Demichelis’ team has had many starts – with Nicolás De La Cruz and Enzo Pérez at the helm – and will aim against Libertadores. He had too large a team. Diego Martínez’s men, however, will hardly miss Valentín Barco and will try to leave their mark in the consolation that will be the South American team and in the local tournament. They have what.

It appears from behind Racingwho will also play the South American team and is one of the teams that has strengthened the most and the one who invested the most money in this transfer market. It has a logical explanation: it was one of those that collected the most in recent months. The current image of the new coach Gustavo Costas with his eight reinforcements, which could become nine if the arrival of midfielder Agustín Urzi is completed, is directly linked to the departure cards of several players. In the last year and a half the Academy has sold more than $40 million.

They were not left behind Independent AND Saint Lawrence, who added six reinforcements each, but were a little more concerned about being more surgical in choosing role players to bolster teams. El Ciclón will have a double agenda because the Libertadores also have to play and the Rojo will aim all their weapons to win a local title, something they haven’t managed since 2002 while trying to consolidate their average.

Outside of the greats, we need to see how they have remained still Central rosary AND Students, the other two champions of 2023 in addition to River, who will also think about the Libertadores. The team from Santa Fe has maintained its base and has strengthened, while that of the capital of Buenos Aires has lost several historic players -Mariano Andújar and Mauro Boselli- and its best player -Benjamín Rollheiser-, but has repatriated Enzo Pérez. And you don’t have to take your eyes off them. Laboratories, Belgrano and Godoy Cruzwho will also go out for a drink trying to maintain their good level in 2023.

Lanus AND Velez, former regular entertainers, will have the obligation to be protagonists to inflate their very low averages and act accordingly in the market to add experience. However, the two who will have the hardest time will be the debutants Independent Rivadavia AND Deportivo Riestrawho have been the ones who have moved the most on the market with 13 and 11 additions at the moment to make the leap in quality necessary to not be far from the new contenders.