Torneo Clausura round 11 preview: the Córdoba derby, Vélez v Platense and Rosario Central at Banfield

This preview covers eight of the 15 matches in round 11 of the Torneo Clausura, those on Sunday 4 and Monday 5 October; six were played on Friday and Saturday. The fixture to watch first is Sunday's inter-zone derby at the Kempes: Talleres, 14th in Zona A, host Belgrano, the Apertura champions, who knocked them out 1–0 in the round of 16 in May. On Monday Vélez, the only unbeaten side in the tournament, host Platense, and Rosario Central, level on 18 points with the Zona B leaders Argentinos Juniors, visit Banfield.

Sunday 4 October

Huracán v Aldosivi (14:45 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Ducó. Huracán are sixth on 16 points, inside the eight who go through to the round of 16; Aldosivi are 13th on eight. Infobae describes Aldosivi and Estudiantes de Río Cuarto as the sides looking for a miracle to escape relegation. They drew 0–0 in Mar del Plata in March 2026; Aldosivi won 2–0 there in October 2025, and it finished 3–3 at the Ducó in April 2025.

Talleres v Belgrano (17:00 Buenos Aires time). The Córdoba derby is the round's inter-zone match and is played at the Mario Alberto Kempes. Talleres have eight points from ten matches; Belgrano are fifth in Zona B on 16 and have conceded seven goals, the fewest in the Clausura. The last meeting was Belgrano's 1–0 win in the Apertura round of 16, in May 2026 at the Kempes. The seven before it, from May 2023 to March 2026, were all draws, the latest 0–0 at the Julio César Villagra.

Argentinos Juniors v Tigre (19:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, in La Paternal. Argentinos lead on goal difference with 18 points, the same as Rosario Central, who play on Monday, and Independiente Rivadavia and Gimnasia de La Plata, who drew 1–1 with each other on Friday. Tigre are 11th on 12. It was 1–1 in Victoria in March 2026; Tigre won 2–1 in July 2025 and Argentinos 1–0 in January 2025.

Estudiantes de Río Cuarto v Racing (21:30 Buenos Aires time). The bottom two in Zona B, at the Antonio Candini. Estudiantes de Río Cuarto have six points, with one win and five goals scored in ten matches; Racing have eight. Racing have caretaker coaches: according to La Nación, the club announced on 28 September, after the defeat by Boca in the Copa Argentina, that Juan Pablo Vojvoda was leaving by mutual agreement and that Sebastián Romero and Luciano Aued would take charge of the squad. The only meeting on record is Racing's 2–0 win in Avellaneda in March 2026.

Monday 5 October

Deportivo Riestra v Central Córdoba (16:45 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Guillermo Laza. Deportivo Riestra are 12th on 10 points; Central Córdoba are bottom on eight, level with Talleres but with fewer goals scored. Infobae counts Riestra, along with Banfield and Sarmiento, among the sides who cannot relax near the bottom. Central Córdoba won 1–0 in Santiago del Estero in March 2026; before that Riestra won 2–0 in September 2025, the sides drew 0–0 in February 2025, and Riestra won 1–0 in August 2024.

Estudiantes de La Plata v Gimnasia de Mendoza (19:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Jorge Luis Hirschi. Estudiantes de La Plata are 11th on 10 points; away from the league they lost 3–1 to Rosario Central in the Supercopa Internacional final on 26 September and 1–0 to Platense in the Copa Argentina quarter-finals on Thursday. Gimnasia de Mendoza are fifth on 17. The only meeting on record is Estudiantes' 2–1 win in Mendoza in March 2026.

Vélez v Platense (19:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the José Amalfitani. Vélez are fourth on 20 points and are the only side in the Clausura still unbeaten: five wins and five draws. Platense are 13th on nine, but La Nación notes that Thursday's win took them into the Copa Argentina semi-finals for the first time, where they will face Atlético Tucumán. Vélez won 2–0 in Vicente López in March 2026; it was 0–0 in July 2025, and Platense won 1–0 in Liniers in January 2025.

Banfield v Rosario Central (21:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Florencio Sola. Banfield are 12th on nine points; Central are second on 18, behind Argentinos only on goal difference. Página/12 reports that Central will have four enforced changes for the trip to Banfield and that Jeremías Ledesma returns in goal. Central won 2–1 in Rosario in March 2026; before that there was a 1–1 in October 2024 and a 0–0 in January 2024, and Banfield had won 3–0 in August 2023.

The zones before Sunday

Points, with matches played in brackets. The top eight in each zone go through to the round of 16; the bar marks the cut-off.

• Zona A: Instituto 25 (11); Defensa y Justicia 21 (11); Boca 20 (11); Vélez 20 (10); Gimnasia de Mendoza 17 (10); Lanús 17 (11); Newell's 17 (11); Independiente 17 (11) | Unión 13 (11); San Lorenzo 11 (11); Estudiantes de La Plata 10 (10); Deportivo Riestra 10 (10); Platense 9 (10); Talleres 8 (10); Central Córdoba 8 (10).
• Zona B: Argentinos Juniors 18 (10); Rosario Central 18 (10); Independiente Rivadavia 18 (11); Gimnasia de La Plata 18 (11); Belgrano 16 (10); Huracán 16 (10); Sarmiento 16 (10); Barracas Central 15 (11) | River 13 (10); Atlético Tucumán 13 (11); Tigre 12 (10); Banfield 9 (10); Aldosivi 8 (10); Racing 8 (10); Estudiantes de Río Cuarto 6 (10).

Numbers to know

• Eight matches in two days: on Sunday at 14:45, 17:00, 19:15 and 21:30, and on Monday at 16:45, two at 19:00 and one at 21:15, Buenos Aires time.
• Vélez are the only unbeaten side in the Clausura, with five wins and five draws in ten matches.
• Belgrano have conceded seven goals in ten matches, the fewest in the tournament.
• Four sides share the top of Zona B on 18 points; Argentinos and Rosario Central have played one match fewer than Independiente Rivadavia and Gimnasia de La Plata.
• Estudiantes de Río Cuarto have scored five goals in ten matches, the fewest in Zona B; in Zona A, San Lorenzo have four in 11.

Both zones in full, with kick-off times in Buenos Aires time, are on the Liga Profesional page.

Sources for the context: La Nación, La Nación, Página/12, Infobae.