The Professional League Cup playoff calculator: the chances of all the teams fighting for the quarterfinals

THE Professional League Cup entered the definition zone in the absence of an end date for the regular phase. And everything is at stake. Because alone Godoy Cruz It has a guaranteed place among the eight that will compete for the championship and the other seven protagonists of the quarterfinals remain to be confirmed, beyond the fact that there are a couple of teams that have a foot and a half in the playoffs. However, with Mouth, racing, River AND Independent In the fight there is no choice but to take out the calculator and set the scene to see who the four qualifiers from each zone will be.

An asterisk must be marked before all predictions. It’s the match between Students of La Plata AND Mouth who was suspended in the 27th minute of the first half after the failure of the Chilean Javier Altamirano. This Monday the date on which they will complete the duel will be defined. All roads lead to Friday. And this would ensure that Monday becomes the day of definition of zone A and Tuesday remains the day on which tickets for zone B will be drawn. But it is better to go in parts…

Zone A: six candidates for four places

Argentinos Juniors (25 points and +11 goal difference):

Pablo Guede’s team, which will play against Racing de Montevideo in the Copa Libertadores this Tuesday, is virtually classified. Only a sporting tsunami could eliminate him from the quarter-finals. They play their last match against Barracas Central at Diego Armando Maradona in La Paternal and both need only a draw to secure their place. The worst scenario would only occur if the sensational defeat against El Guapo were combined with important victories for Independiente against Talleres in Avellaneda and for Vélez against Independiente Rivadavia in Mendoza. It seems impossible.

Barracas Central (25 points and +5 goal difference)

They find themselves in a similar situation to Argentinos Juniors, although the inferior goal difference makes their situation a little more vulnerable. At La Paternal, equality is enough to put the icing on the cake. A fall with El Bicho and a large Vélez win in Mendoza could leave him out of the conversation. It’s not impossible, but it’s unlikely.

River Plate (24 points and +14 goal difference)

Martín Demichelis’ team, which will face Nacional de Montevideo on Thursday with the Libertadores shirt, has two results in its favor in view of the match against Instituto, in Córdoba: the victory and the draw are needed, because the goal difference gives an advantage. lots of air. It can only be excluded with this combination: it must lose in Córdoba, Vélez must win in Mendoza and there can be no draw in the direct clash between Independiente and Talleres in the Libertadores de América. It depends on yourself.

Talleres de Córdoba (23 points and +8 goal difference)

Walter Ribonetto’s men also have their destiny in their hands: they automatically advance if they beat Independiente in Avellaneda. In case of a draw, we must hope that Vélez does not beat Independiente Rivadavia.

Independent (22 points and +4 goal difference):

Another that does not depend on third parties. If he wins he enters the top four. Of course, it is the only result that works for Carlos Tevez’s erratic team, which has just defeated Banfield in the south of Greater Buenos Aires.

Vélez (22 points and 0 goal difference):

The group directed by Gustavo Quinteros is the only candidate it does not depend on itself. Obviously, they will have to beat Independiente Rivadavia, in Mendoza, to maintain their chances. Furthermore, River must lose or draw Independiente and Talleres in Avellaneda. The other option is to beat Lepra by a large margin and have Barracas beat Argentinos or have Argentinos beat (by a huge margin) by Barracas. almost a miracle.

Zone B: one classified and six other applicants

Godoy Cruz (26 points and +10 goal difference)

Tomba has already been classified for a week. This Monday he will be able to secure first place in the area by beating Sarmiento, in Junín. And he will be the arbiter of Boca’s destiny, who will be able to define it even before, when it ends against Estudiantes. When both play the last day at the Bombonera, there could be an early “final” to see who will win or be the executioner of Diego Martínez’s team.

Lanús (23 points and +7 goal difference)

Ricardo Zielinski’s team wasted a good opportunity with the defeat against Racing al Cilindro. However, nothing is lost for Garnet, who depends on no one to qualify. To achieve this he must defeat Estudiantes in La Fortaleza. If you tie, however, you have to take out your calculator and rosary. He takes Pincha out of his race – if he doesn’t beat Boca in the suspended match -, but Defensa y Justicia, Boca, Racing and even Newell’s – who plays with Halcón – can overcome him, even if the goal difference plays against the people of Rosario.

Defense and Justice (23 points and +3 goal difference)

Julio Vaccari’s men are in a similar situation to that of Lanús. If you beat Newell’s in Florencio Varela you will advance to the quarterfinals without stopping. A draw, however, forces us to wait for a combination of results by watching what happens with Boca, Estudiantes and Racing. We must not forget that this scenario can be changed depending on the outcome of the match between Xeneize and Pincha.

Boca Juniors (22 points, +8 goal difference and one match suspended)

Diego Martínez and his teammates will enter the playoffs if they win one of the two matches awaiting them: the 67 minutes against Estudiantes or the duel against Godoy Cruz at the Bombonera. If so, it’s up to you. Any other combination of results leaves you waiting to see what happens with the others. Two draws leave him exposed, but would also help him get through. The same even with just one draw, although the situation would be much more complex.

Racing Club (21 points and +9 goal difference):

The group led by Gustavo Costas does not depend on itself. They are forced to beat Belgrano in Córdoba and wait for the results: Lanús or Defensa y Justicia or Boca must not win – they have a better goal difference than the three – and also hope that Estudiantes does not add more than three points, among the strongest probable combinations.

Estudiantes (21 points, +8 goal difference and one match suspended)

Eduardo Domínguez’s Pincha will qualify if they get four points out of the six they have in front of them. On Friday he will play Boca in La Plata for the remaining 67 minutes and then on Tuesday he will go to the Lanús pitch. With a smaller harvest he already has to watch what happens in other fields.

Newell’s (21 points and -1 goal difference)

Those led by Mauricio Larriera do not depend on themselves. They have to win in Varela on their visit to Defensa y Justicia and hope that Racing and Estudiantes don’t do what they have to do to qualify. It’s the most complicated of all.

Today the quarter-final matches