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Argentine Primera Division | Gameweek 25
Jul 16, 2023 at 8.30pm UK
Estadio Juan Carmelo Zerillo

Gimnasia
1 - 3
Boca Juniors

Castillo (90')
Bazzi (20'), Lescano (85'), Ramirez (90+1')
FT(HT: 0-1)
Merentiel (39'), Medina (74'), Benedetto (76')
Fabra (24'), Fernandez (28'), Benedetto (88'), Varela (90+6')

Preview: Gimnasia vs. Boca Juniors - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Argentine Primera Division clash between Gimnasia and Boca Juniors, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Approaching the end of Argentine Primera Division's first phase, mid-table Boca Juniors and lowly Gimnasia meet at El Bosque on Sunday.

The Buenos Aires giants have won three of their last four matches but have still fallen short of their usual high standards this season; meanwhile, their hosts have taken just three points from the last 12 available.


Match preview

Boca Juniors players applaud fans after the match on May 26, 2023© Reuters

Before hosting fellow capital-city side Huracan on Monday evening, Boca Juniors sat 11th in the Primera Division standings, some 21 points adrift of arch-rivals River Plate, who top the table.

Boca have been left far off the pace this season, less than a year on from winning a 35th top-flight title, and a 1-0 victory at La Bombonera was only their 10th Primera Division success of 2023 so far.

A second-half strike from Luis Vasquez ultimately separated the sides, as Jorge Almiron's men recorded a second league win from three since being humbled 4-0 by Godoy Cruz late last month; moving up to ninth place.

The Xeneize recently reached the last 32 of the Copa Argentina and also sealed top spot in Group F of the Copa Libertadores, in which they will meet Nacional in the first knockout round at the start of August.

With River set to be crowned Argentinian champions, Boca could be forgiven for switching their thoughts to claiming a seventh South American title - and their first since 2007 - but an intense Primera Division contest awaits this weekend.

When they visited El Bosque in October of last year, clashes between fans and police meant the match was abandoned after only nine minutes; rubber bullets and tear gas were used and one supporter died as a result of the trouble.

Once again, no Boca Juniors fans will be present for their latest trip to La Plata, where Gimnasia have picked up five of their seven league wins this term.

Following an embarrassing Copa Sudamericana exit - El Lobo finished rock-bottom of their group last month - they have drawn twice and then lost to Atletico Tucuman in domestic competition, leaving them 20th in the table.

Gimnasia's healthy points average over the past three years will be sufficient to keep them out of danger, though, as such a system is used to decide relegation from Argentina's top tier.

Nonetheless, Sebastian Romero's side still want to end a tough campaign on a high - beating Boca would certainly help in that regard.

Gimnasia Argentine Primera Division form:


Gimnasia form (all competitions):


Boca Juniors Argentine Primera Division form:


Boca Juniors form (all competitions):



Team News

Boca Juniors coach Jorge Almiron during the match on May 26, 2023© Reuters

Boca Juniors will again be without their captain on Sunday, as after a short spell in Miami recovering from a calf injury, veteran defender Marcos Rojo is back in training but not under consideration for the trip to La Plata.

More immediately, both Nicolas Figal and Esteban Rolon are available to coach Jorge Almiron after serving suspensions on Monday. The former replacing Bruno Valdez could be the only change in Boca's lineup from the win over Huracan.

Therefore, Miguel Merentiel and Luis Vazquez should start up front, with Dario Benedetto once more consigned to a substitute role.

Cristian Tarragona will be Gimnasia's most notable absentee, as the striker continues to recover from a muscular injury, while Matias Melluso and Nicolas Colazo could also be sidelined.

Sebastian Romero is set to field his familiar 4-3-3 formation, with Leonardo Morales helming the hosts' defence and Ignacio Miramon - who recently received a transfer offer from Belgium, which was swiftly rejected by the club - patrolling central midfield.

Gimnasia possible starting lineup:
Durso; Enrique, F. Sanchez, Morales, Bazzi; Miramon, Lescano, Napolitano; Soldano, Mammini, Dominguez

Boca Juniors possible starting lineup:
Romero; Weigandt, Valentini, Figal, Fabra; Medina, Valera, G. Fernandez; Merentiel, Vasquez, Barco


SM words green background

We say: Gimnasia 1-1 Boca Juniors

As Boca have not fared well on the road - winning just three away games in the league this year - Gimnasia can make their defensive solidity at El Bosque pay this weekend. The hosts have conceded just eight times in 11 home matches, so a share of the spoils could be on the cards for Sunday.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 2.5:data


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Game History

How you voted: Gimnasia vs Boca Juniors

Gimnasia
0.0%
Draw
22.2%
Boca Juniors
77.8%
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Boca Juniors coach Jorge Almiron during the match on May 26, 2023
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Velez SarsfieldVelez Sarsfield23128335152044
2HuracanHuracan23119327151242
3Racing ClubRacing23124734221240
4River PlateRiver Plate2299430161436
5TalleresTalleres229942622436
6UnionUnion2310672422236
7Atletico TucumanTucuman2310672524136
8Boca Juniors239772823534
9Platense238961816233
10Instituto239592925432
11Deportivo Riestra238872424032
12EstudiantesEstudiantes2371062624231
13IndependienteIndependiente2261241914530
14BelgranoBelgrano227962725230
15GimnasiaGimnasia227872019129
16TigreTigre237882628-229
17Godoy CruzGodoy Cruz2361072325-228
18San Lorenzo237791921-228
19Central CordobaC. Cordoba237792630-428
20LanusLanus2361072228-628
21Rosario CentralRosario236892423126
22Argentinos JuniorsArgentinos Jrs2375111823-526
23Defensa y JusticiaDefensa236892431-726
24Independiente Rivadavia226791523-825
25BanfieldBanfield2357112029-922
26Sarmiento224991523-821
27Newell's Old BoysNewell's OB2356121732-1521
28Barracas Central2237121029-1916


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