Rosario Central and Newell’s Old Boys will not face each other in the first round of the Torneo Clausura playoffs. The Rosarino derby will be absent from the octavos de final, as the two teams have been drawn against different opponents based on their final positions in the group stage.
Rosario Central secured first place in Zone B and will face Gimnasia de Mendoza, which finished eighth in Zone A. The match will be played at the Gigante de Arroyito, with Central holding home-field advantage. Newell’s, meanwhile, secured sixth place in Zone A and will travel to play Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata, which finished third in Zone B, at the Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo.
Teams Paired for Final Round
The pairings for the octavos de final were determined by the final positions in the group stage. The Torneo Clausura format dictates that teams from one zone are paired with teams from the other in a mirrored bracket: the first-place team in one zone faces the eighth-place team from the other, the second-place faces the seventh-place, and so on. The confirmed matchups for the octavos de final are as follows:
- Instituto (1st A) vs. Huracán (8th B)
- River Plate (2nd A) vs. Lanús (7th B)
- Argentinos Juniors (3rd A) vs. Newell’s (6th B)
- Vélez Sarsfield (4th A) vs. Belgrano (5th B)
- Rosario Central (1st B) vs. Gimnasia de Mendoza (8th A)
- Defensa y Justicia (4th B) vs. Barracas Central (5th A)
- Boca Juniors (2nd B) vs. Independiente Rivadavia (7th A)
- Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata (3rd B) vs. Independiente (6th A)
Rosario Central finished the regular phase with a victory against Estudiantes de Río Cuarto at the Gigante de Arroyito, a result that secured the first place in Zone B with 31 points. Newell’s, which secured its playoff spot before its final match, drew 2-2 with Instituto in Alta Córdoba, a result that sealed sixth place in Zone A with 23 points.
The Schedule for the Playoffs
The knockout stage of the Torneo Clausura is set to begin with the octavos de final on the weekend of November 21-22. The matches will be single-leg ties, with the team that finished higher in the group stage hosting the fixture. If a match is tied after 90 minutes, it will proceed to two 15-minute extra halves. If the score remains level, the winner will be decided by a penalty shootout. The matchups for the upcoming rounds are as follows:
- Cuartos de final: November 28-29
- Semifinales: December 5-6
- Final: December 12, at the Estadio Único de La Plata
In the match between Rosario Central and Gimnasia de Mendoza, the Lobo mendocino will feature a familiar face for Central fans: the forward Agustín Módica, who previously played for the Canalla and scored the opening goal in a 1-0 win against Newell’s during this Clausura. Gimnasia de Mendoza secured its eighth-place spot with a 1-1 draw against Independiente Rivadavia. Meanwhile, Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata, which finished third in Zone B, will host Newell’s at the Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo after a 2-1 victory over Belgrano in its final regular phase match.
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