Argentina's Big Five prepare for clasicos
Reuters - Thursday 21 October 2010, 03:00
BUENOS AIRES, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Argentina's Big Five clubs
will be involved in three "clasicos" at the weekend that will
be overshadowed by Friday's clash between leaders Estudiantes
and second-placed Velez Sarsfield.
Estudiantes, coached by national team candidate Alex
Sabella, are three points out in front with eight matches to go
and a victory at the Amalfitani in the west of the capital
would see pre-season favourites Velez drop six points behind
them.
Arsenal are level with Velez and will remain in the hunt
for the Apertura championship, the first of two in the season,
if they win at home against Godoy Cruz, who for a majority of
neutral observers are the best team in the country.
What Velez and Arsenal, with 23 points each from 11
matches, have and Estudiantes (26) do not, are strike duos who
have scored most of their goals.
Estudiantes' strength lies in defence with only four
conceded. Nine different players have scored their 15 goals
while the Velez pair of Juan Manuel Martinez and Uruguayan
Santiago Silva have seven each and are the championship's
leading scorers.
"They are in good form, they've played together for some
time. We'll have to be very concentrated because they won't
forgive you for any errors," said Estudiantes centre back
Leandro Desabato.
"It's obvious to anyone that we're missing a number nine,"
Desabato told reporters as Estudiantes have struggled to
overcome the departure of Mauro Boselli, who top scored with 13
goals in the previous Clausura championship.
Arsenal's Mauro Obolo and Luciano Leguizamon have nine
goals between them in their team's total of 13.
In the big derby in the capital, Huracan (10 points) are at
home to "barrio" rivals San Lorenzo, who are the highest placed
of the Big Five in fifth with 18 points, on Sunday.
The clasicos involving the other four major teams are a
crossover between sides from Buenos Aires city and the suburb
of Avellaneda.
Struggling Independiente (9) host Boca Juniors (16) at
their Libertadores de America stadium in Avellaneda, while Racing Club (16) leave the suburb to travel into
the capital to visit River Plate (17) on Saturday.
River and Boca are warming up for the "superclasico" at
River's Monumental stadium in two weeks.