The descents, again in sight: the tournament of the 30 teams of the Professional League relaunches with next season as its goal

It was the last formal proposal of Giulio Grondonawith post mortem execution: the 30-team First Division tournament that launched in 2015, after an attempt to deactivate it that has thrived and has marked the debate since its inception Does it return to an ideal of 20 teams in the elite or is it supported in its expanded version? This is what some leaders are working on with the Qatar World Cup as a stop to decide. At the center, a fundamental aspect: what about the descents of the current season.

The Puerto Madero offices where the Primera football administration operates were the scene of a new meeting earlier this week with the president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and owner of the Professional Football League (LPF), Claudio Tapia; the general manager of that organization, Francesco Duarteand representatives of Boca, River, Racing, Students, Workshop and Banfield.

There they re-propose one of the projects with which they intend to restructure the country’s main competition. The idea is suspend the discounts again this year because, by adding the two teams that will arrive from the National Tournament, to have a championship in 2023 that will play 30 teams.

The Extraordinary Assembly that the AFA will hold in October, about a month before the start of the World Cup, would be the appropriate scenario to implement the changes. For this reason, the meeting on Monday, even with few people present, is fundamental: after that agreement, Tapia hopes leaders will network with their peers to reach a consensus agreement.

Chiquia born negotiator, would be willing to change his stance in the face of this year’s declines and suspend them if that allows for approval of the new format.

the stage today

In addition to Tapia and Duarte, the general secretary of Mouth, Ricardo Rosica; the vice presidents Ignazio Villarroel (River), Alfredo Chiodini (Racing), Rodrigo Scriba (laboratories) and the presidents Martin Gorostegui (Students) Y Edoardo Spinosa (banfield).

Currently, by mandate of the Assembly, it is foreseen two drops at the end of the current season and four for the next to reach 2026 with 22 teams. However, this organization chart is unlikely to be satisfied.

How come? Because there is an idea that convinces both the big clubs and the small ones: to avoid relegation at the end of the season, which is what today it would benefit Aldosives Y Patronage, last in the table of averages in effect for this season.

What excites the greats, if not the average? The competition system proposed for mid-2023: a Top 20 integrated with the best finishers of two areas of 15 teams that offers the most places for the Copa Libertadores.

The first section of this project involves 30 teams: the top four from each zone would meet in home and away matches in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and a single match in the final, completing 18 dates. The champion, at the Cup.

Then the Top 20 with the 10 best of each group that will face each other in a single group, with 19 dates to be played as in the old Apertura or Clausura tournaments. The champion and the four who support him, even at the Libertadores

And what about the “worst five”?

The bottom five of each group together with the top 10 of the First National Championship will play the so-called “First LPF Qualifying Tournament”, also in a 19-day round, which will offer a qualification to the 2024 South American Cup.

That yes, beyond the ranking in South America, the top 10 will play the following season in First, the 30-team tournament, while the second half will be in First National.

According to the project, those classified from second to fourth in the Top 20 and the champions of the Copa Argentina, the tournament with 30 teams and 20 will be present in the 2024 edition of the Copa Libertadores.

The five teams that are behind the four that enter the Libertadores, will qualify for the South American together with the winner of the qualification played by the First and Second Division teams.