Torneo Clausura round 16 preview: the last round of the zones, five round-of-16 places and the annual table at stake

Round 16 of the Torneo Clausura, the last of the zone phase, is played in full from Thursday to Sunday. According to La Nación, 11 teams already have their place in the round of 16 and five places remain: three in Zona A and two in Zona B. The day to watch is Saturday at 17:30: Boca host Defensa y Justicia, Argentinos Juniors host Huracán and Rosario Central host Estudiantes de Río Cuarto, all at the same time, and La Nación points out that Boca, Argentinos and Central are the ones contesting top spot in the annual table.

Thursday 5 November

Aldosivi v River (15:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the José María Minella. Aldosivi are 14th on 11 points and, according to La Nación, have already been relegated. River, fourth on 23, level with Belgrano and Barracas Central but ahead on goal difference, lost the Superclásico 1–0. According to La Gaceta, a win guarantees they play their round-of-16 tie at the Monumental; Leonardo Ponzio is without Gonzalo Montiel and Lucas Martínez Quarta, suspended after their red cards at the Bombonera, and the injured Fausto Vera, Aníbal Moreno and Juan Cruz Meza. River won 3–1 at home in April 2026, but Aldosivi beat them 3–1 in the Copa Argentina in July 2026.

Gimnasia de La Plata v Belgrano (19:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Juan Carmelo Zerillo. Gimnasia de La Plata are third on 28 points and are unbeaten in their last five matches; M. Torres has 10 goals. Belgrano, fifth on 23, drew 2–2 with Barracas. Gimnasia won the last two meetings 1–0 in Córdoba, in April 2026 and August 2024.

Friday 6 November

Barracas Central v Racing (15:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Claudio Chiqui Tapia. Barracas Central, sixth on 23 points, are unbeaten in their last five; Racing, 12th on 15, can no longer go through. In April 2026 they drew 1–1 in Avellaneda.

Independiente v Deportivo Riestra (19:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Libertadores de América. Independiente are eighth on 20 points and have not won in their last five matches; according to La Nación, they qualify if they win. G. Ávalos has 11 goals. Deportivo Riestra, 14th on 12, beat them 2–0 in April 2026.

San Lorenzo v Platense (19:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Pedro Bidegain. San Lorenzo are ninth on 19 points and Platense 11th on 17; La Nación writes that Platense must win, that even a draw might be enough for San Lorenzo and that both could miss out. San Lorenzo have scored nine goals, the fewest in the tournament. San Lorenzo won 1–0 in Vicente López in April 2026; in 2025 Platense won two of the three meetings.

Unión v Vélez (19:15 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the 15 de Abril. Unión, tenth on 18 points, also need to win, according to La Nación, and have the tournament's top scorer, C. Tarragona, with 15. Vélez, third on 28, have scored 25 goals, more than anyone, and R. Martínez has 13. In April 2026 they drew 2–2 in Liniers.

Banfield v Atlético Tucumán (22:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Florencio Sola. Banfield, 13th on 14 points, and Atlético Tucumán, tenth on 17, can no longer finish in the top eight. The last two meetings ended 1–1, in April 2026 and July 2024.

Tigre v Sarmiento (22:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona B. Sarmiento are eighth on 21 points and J. Marabel has 14 goals; according to La Nación, a win sends them through whatever Huracán do. Tigre, 11th on 16, beat Huracán 2–0. Sarmiento won 1–0 in April 2026 and Tigre have not beaten them since April 2023.

Saturday 7 November

Gimnasia de Mendoza v Independiente Rivadavia (15:00 Buenos Aires time). The Mendoza derby, an inter-zone match, at the Víctor Legrotaglie. Gimnasia de Mendoza are seventh in Zona A on 21 points and A. Módica has 14 goals; Independiente Rivadavia, seventh in Zona B on 22, beat Banfield 3–1 and, according to La Nación, qualify if they win. In April 2026, Independiente Rivadavia won 5–1 at home.

Talleres v Estudiantes de La Plata (15:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Mario Alberto Kempes. Talleres, 13th on 12 points, beat Riestra 3–0; Estudiantes de La Plata, 12th on 15, drew 3–3 with Instituto. Neither can go through. In April 2026 they drew 0–0 in La Plata.

Argentinos Juniors v Huracán (17:30 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Diego Armando Maradona. Argentinos are second on 31 points, level with Rosario Central, and are unbeaten in their last five. Huracán, ninth on 19, have lost four of their last five and, according to La Nación, only a win will do; J. Caicedo has 14 goals. Argentinos won both meetings in 2026, 2–1 in Parque Patricios in April and 1–0 at home in May.

Boca v Defensa y Justicia (17:30 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Bombonera. Boca are second on 30 points, three behind Instituto, have lost only one match and are coming off a 1–0 win over River. Defensa y Justicia, fourth on 28, drew 1–1 with Independiente. Boca won 4–0 in Florencio Varela in April 2026; in September 2025, Defensa won 2–1 at home.

Rosario Central v Estudiantes de Río Cuarto (17:30 Buenos Aires time). Zona B, at the Gigante de Arroyito. Central lead on 31 points, ahead of Argentinos on goal difference, +12 to +8, and have won their last four matches; Á. Di María has 11 goals. Estudiantes de Río Cuarto are bottom on nine and, according to La Nación, have already been relegated. In the only meeting, in April 2026, Central won 2–1 in Río Cuarto.

Sunday 8 November

Central Córdoba v Lanús (18:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Único Madre de Ciudades. Central Córdoba are bottom on 10 points and have not won in their last five; Lanús, fifth on 25 and already through according to La Nación, have conceded 11 goals, the fewest in Zona A alongside Newell's. In April 2026 they drew 0–0 in Lanús.

Instituto v Newell's (18:00 Buenos Aires time). Zona A, at the Presidente Perón. Instituto lead on 33 points, with 10 wins in 15 matches; Newell's, sixth on 22, drew 1–1 with Unión. La Nación writes that avoiding defeat is enough for Newell's to secure their place. In April 2026 they drew 1–1 in Rosario.

The zones before Thursday

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

• Zona A: Instituto 33 (15); Boca 30 (15); Vélez 28 (15); Defensa y Justicia 28 (15); Lanús 25 (15); Newell's 22 (15); Gimnasia de Mendoza 21 (15); Independiente 20 (15) | San Lorenzo 19 (15); Unión 18 (15); Platense 17 (15); Estudiantes de La Plata 15 (15); Talleres 12 (15); Deportivo Riestra 12 (15); Central Córdoba 10 (15).
• Zona B: Rosario Central 31 (15); Argentinos Juniors 31 (15); Gimnasia de La Plata 28 (15); River 23 (15); Belgrano 23 (15); Barracas Central 23 (15); Independiente Rivadavia 22 (15); Sarmiento 21 (15) | Huracán 19 (15); Atlético Tucumán 17 (15); Tigre 16 (15); Racing 15 (15); Banfield 14 (15); Aldosivi 11 (15); Estudiantes de Río Cuarto 9 (15).

Numbers to know

• C. Tarragona of Unión has 15 goals; A. Módica, J. Marabel and J. Caicedo have 14; R. Martínez of Vélez 13.
• Vélez have scored 25 goals, more than anyone; San Lorenzo nine, the fewest.
• Central Córdoba have conceded 25 goals, more than anyone; Lanús and Newell's 11.
• Boca and Vélez have lost only one match each.

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, La Gaceta.