Argentina’s domestic football campaign kicks off in earnest this Thursday with the start of the Torneo Apetura of the Liga Profesional de Fútbol and new arrivals and world champions are dominating the headlines.
A number of eye-catching transfers have taken place since the end of the last campaign, with four members of the national team that lifted the World Cup in Qatar 2022 now set to ply their trade on home turf. Add in the arrivals of former international stars and you have quite the line-up.
This season will see 30 teams (including new arrivals Aldosivi and San Martín de San Juan) battle it out across two tournaments – an Apetura and Clausura – for two titles.
Not just domestic
However, the domestic campaign will not be the only competition for Argentina’s best sides.
The continental Copa Libertadores, the region’s most important competition, and inter-continental FIFA Club World Cup will both be played this year.
Hoping to make waves in both competitions, local giants Boca Juniors and River Plate have strengthened their squads in the pre-season period.
River have brought back Gonzalo Montiel from Spanish side Sevilla, scorer of the decisive penalty in the 2022 World Cup final penalty shoot-out against France. They’ve also added Chilean forward Gonzalo Tapia, Paraguayan attacking midfielder Matias Rojas and striker Sebastian Driussi (who arrived from MLS side Austin FC), among others.
With his move, Montiel bolsters the number of world champions in River’s ranks to four, along with Germán Pezzella, Marcos Acuña and goalkeeper Franco Armani.
Boca, meanwhile, have added tireless Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera, who at the age of 35 has left Athletic Bilbao to move to Argentina. A self-proclaimed fan of the Xeneize, he joins team-mates such as Uruguay's Edinson Cavani and defender Marcos Rojo, who also previously played in Europe.
Herrera's arrival comes on the heels of compatriot Iker Muniain's move to San Lorenzo, while Costa Rican international goalkeeper Keylor Navas, a multiple title winner with Real Madrid and PSG, has signed for Rosario-based side Newell's Old Boys.
Boca, who in four weeks will make their debut in the second round of the Copa Libertadores has also splashed out to bring in midfielder Alan Velasco from MLS side Dallas FC, though they have lost Cristian Medina (sold to Estudiantes de La Plata), Aaron Anselmino (to English Premier League side ENG) and tough-tackling midfielder Gary Medel, who has left to return to Chile with Universidad Católica.
In the running
Boca and River, Argentina's two most popular clubs, will be looking to enjoy more successful campaigns this time out after a poor 2024 season. The latter won only a minor title (Supercopa Argentina), while the former finished the season empty-handed.
Picking up the rest of the titles were Estudiantes de La Plata (Copa de la Liga), Vélez Sarsfield (League champion), Racing de Avellaneda (Copa Sudamericana) and Central Cordoba de Santiago del Estero (Copa Argentina).
Both Boca and River will have to manage their resources carefully with a hectic schedule ahead. The Xeneize are on the hunt for a seventh Libertadores, 18 years after winning the sixth, and the Millonario are in search of their fifth.
The two giants will also take part in the Club World Cup in the United States in June, a tournament in which both will hope to represent the continent against giants of the modern-day game.
Racing Club, buoyed by their success in the 2023 Sudamericana, their first international title in 36 years, are also targeting the Libertadores, although they will have to do so without their Colombian international midfielder Juan Fernando Quintero, who has decided to return to his homeland.
Hectic schedule
With little space on the calendar, the Apertura will start at a frenetic pace: the first six rounds of fixtures will be played over four weeks, with 90 matches between January 23 and February 17.
The action kicks off on Thursday night with champions Vélez taking on Tigre, followed by Godoy Cruz v Rosario Central, Lanus v Riestra, Defensa y Justicia v Banfield and Newell's vIndependiente Rivadavia.
On Friday, Barracas Central will play Racing, with Independiente v Sarmiento, Belgrano v Huracán and San Martín (San Juan) v Atlético Tucumán.
On Saturday, San Lorenzo play Talleres, with Instituto v Gimnasia, Estudiantes v Unión and Platense v River, following by Sunday clashes between Boca and Argentinos and Central Córdoba and Aldosivi.
– TIMES/AFP
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