Buenos Aires – The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has announced the referee assignments for the upcoming 12th matchday of the Torneo Apertura Mercado Libre, the top flight of Argentine football. The schedule, spanning from March 20th to March 25th, features matches across both Zone A and Zone B, with broadcast details confirmed by TNT Sports and ESPN Premium.
Week 12 Referee Appointments
The appointments cover a range of fixtures, from Friday evening kickoffs to midweek matches, ensuring a full schedule of Liga Profesional action. The apply of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) continues to be a key component of officiating, with dedicated VAR and AVAR (Assistant VAR) teams assigned to each match. For fans following along, understanding these assignments can add another layer of insight into the games.
Friday, March 20th
The week begins with a double-header on Friday, March 20th. Banfield will host Tigre in a Zone B matchup at 9:00 PM local time (UTC-3), with Luis Lobo Medina taking charge. Diego Martin and Andrés Barbieri will serve as assistant referees, while Cristian Cernadas is the fourth official. Diego Ceballos will oversee VAR duties, assisted by Gastón Iglesias.
Simultaneously, Atlético Tucumán will face Gimnasia in another Zone B contest, kicking off at the same time. Andrés Gariano will be the lead referee, supported by Julio Fernández and Eduardo Lucero as assistants. Federico Guaymas will be the fourth official, with Maximiliano Macheroni handling VAR and Nahuel Viñas as AVAR.
Saturday, March 21st
Saturday’s schedule includes three afternoon and evening matches. Vélez will take on Lanús in a Zone A clash at 3:30 PM, officiated by Pablo Dóvalo. Diego Bonfá and Carla López will be the assistant referees, with Jorge Broggi as the fourth official. Laura Fortunato will be on VAR, and Gastón Suárez will serve as AVAR.
Later that day, Newell’s will host Gimnasia (Mendoza) in a Zone A encounter at 5:45 PM. Sebastián Zunino will be the referee, assisted by Iván Núñez and Mauro Ramos Errasti. David Cornejo is the fourth official, while Juan Pafundi will be in charge of VAR, with Lucas Pardo as AVAR.
Also at 5:45 PM, Defensa y Justicia will welcome Unión in a Zone A match. Felipe Viola will referee, with Adrián Delbarba and Federico Lapalma as assistants. Gastón Iglesias will be the fourth official, and Sebastián Martinez will oversee VAR, assisted by Mariana De Almeida.
The Saturday schedule concludes with Independiente facing Talleres in a Zone A showdown at 8:00 PM. Hernán Mastrángelo will be the referee, supported by Hugo Paez and Ramón Ortiz as assistants. Diego Ceballos will be the fourth official, with Nicolás Lamolina on VAR and Daiana Milone as AVAR.
Sunday, March 22nd
Sunday features another packed schedule. Sarmiento will play Aldosivi in a Zone B match at 3:30 PM, with Bruno Amiconi as the referee. Matías Bianchi and Hernán Vallejos will be the assistant referees, and Agustín Vegetti will serve as the fourth official. Silvio Trucco will handle VAR, assisted by Marcelo Bistocco.
Estudiantes (Río Cuarto) will host River in a Zone B fixture at 5:45 PM. Nazareno Arasa will be the referee, with Gabriel Chade and Marcos Horticolou as assistants. Emanuel Ejarque is the fourth official, while Salomé Di Iorio will be on VAR, assisted by Lucas Germanotta.
Boca Juniors will face Instituto in a Zone A match at 8:00 PM. Leandro Rey Hilfer will referee, with Juan Pablo Belatti and Erik Grunmann as assistants. Pablo Gimenez will be the fourth official, and Jorge Baliño will oversee VAR, assisted by Manuel Sánchez.
Concluding Sunday’s action, Independiente Rivadavia (Mendoza) will host Rosario Central in a Zone B contest at 10:15 PM. Pablo Echavarría will be the referee, assisted by José Castelli and Maximiliano Castelli. Gastón Monsón Brizuela will be the fourth official, with José Carreras on VAR and Belén Bevilaqua as AVAR.
An interzonal match will also take place on Sunday, with Argentinos Juniors hosting Platense at 10:15 PM. Fernando Echenique will be the referee, assisted by Pablo Acevedo and Agustín Mendez. Ignacio Cuicchi will be the fourth official, and Fernando Espinoza will oversee VAR, assisted by Gisela Bosso.
Monday, March 23rd
The schedule continues on Monday with two more matches. Estudiantes will face Central Córdoba in a Zone A match at 7:00 PM, with Nicolás Ramirez as the referee. Juan Mamani and Gisella Trucco will be the assistant referees, and Damián Rubino will serve as the fourth official. Álvaro Carranza will handle VAR, assisted by Damián Espinoza.
Concluding Monday’s action, Huracán will host Barracas Central in a Zone B contest at 9:15 PM. Facundo Tello will be the referee, assisted by Cristian Navarro and Sebastián Raineri. Juan Nebietti will be the fourth official, with Adrián Franklin on VAR and Diego Verlotta as AVAR.
Wednesday, March 25th
The week concludes with a midweek match on Wednesday, March 25th. Deportivo Riestra will host San Lorenzo in a Zone A match at 7:00 PM, with Ariel Penel as the referee. Pablo Gualtieri and Ernesto Callegari will be the assistant referees, and Gonzalo Pereira will serve as the fourth official. Germán Delfino will handle VAR, assisted by Gerardo Lencina.
These referee assignments are crucial for maintaining the integrity and fairness of the Torneo Apertura Mercado Libre. Fans can expect a competitive and closely officiated set of matches as the league progresses. The next confirmed checkpoint will be the results of these matches and the subsequent announcement of referee assignments for Week 13.
What are your predictions for the upcoming week of matches? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
