San Lorenzo will be bidding to stretch their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 matches when they travel to Belgrano in the Argentine Primera Division on Sunday.
The visitors are currently third in the table, 11 points behind the leaders River Plate, while Belgrano occupy 10th position, boasting 35 points from their opening 24 matches of the campaign.
Match preview
Belgrano were promoted from the second tier of Argentine football in 2022, picking up 79 points from their 36 matches in the Primera Nacional to secure a position in the top flight for the 2023 campaign.
All things considered, it has been a very positive season thus far for the Sky Blues, boasting a record of 10 wins, five draws and nine defeats from their 24 matches to collect 35 points, which has left them in 10th.
Guillermo Farre's side are without a victory in their last three games, though, picking up just one point since recording a 3-1 win over Banfield at the end of June.
Indeed, Belgrano lost back-to-back games against Instituto and Barracas Central before playing out a goalless draw with Colon last time out to move onto 35 points in the division.
Farre's team will be pleased to be back on home soil this weekend, as they have only lost one of their last 10 matches in front of their own supporters, recording six wins in the process.
San Lorenzo, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Independiente Medellin in the Copa Sudamericana, which has placed them in a strong position to reach the last-16 stage of the competition ahead of the return fixture on July 20.
The Blue and Reds are unbeaten in Argentine's top flight since the end of May, although they have shared the points in five of their last six matches in the Argentine Primera Division.
A total of 43 points from 24 matches has left San Lorenzo in third position in the table, two points behind second-placed Talleres and 11 from the leaders River Plate.
Ruben Dario Insua's side shared the points in a goalless draw with River Plate last time out, with their last victory in the league proving to be a 1-0 success over Rosario Central on July 1.
San Lorenzo have won the Primera Division on 15 occasions, making them the fifth-most successful side in the competition behind Independiente (16), Racing Club (18), Boca Juniors (35) and River Plate (37).
Team News
Belgrano have not reported any injury concerns for this weekend's contest, with head coach Farre set to have a strong squad to choose from against San Lorenzo.
Pablo Vegetti has been comfortably the team's main source of goals this season, finding the back of the net on 13 occasions in all competitions, and the 34-year-old will again lead the line.
The reliance on Vegetti is shown by the fact that only one other player - Ulises Sanchez - has netted more than once this season, so Belgrano will need others to start chipping in with goals if they are to enjoy a successful campaign.
San Lorenzo, meanwhile, will be without the services of Jeremias James due to a long-term knee problem.
The visitors will also be missing Nahuel Barrios through suspension, with the forward picking up a red card during the goalless draw with River Plate in the league, so Elian Irala could come into the XI.
Adam Bareiro has been in strong scoring form for San Lorenzo this season, netting seven times in all competitions, and the 26-year-old will continue in the final third of the field.
Belgrano possible starting lineup:
Losada; Moreno, Rebola, Meriano; Pereira, Castro, Longo, Rojas, Diarte; Vegetti, Zapelli
San Lorenzo possible starting lineup:
Batalla; Lujan, Sanchez, Hernandez; Giay, Elias, Perruzzi, Braida; Leguizamon, Bareiro, Irala
We say: Belgrano 0-1 San Lorenzo
Belgrano are more than capable of making this a tricky match for San Lorenzo, and the visitors will be wary of the quality of Vegetti in particular. San Lorenzo are a very difficult team to beat, though, and we are expecting the third-placed side to claim an important three points on Sunday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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