Velez Sarsfield welcome Arsenal Sarandi to Buenos Aires for a crucial encounter at the bottom of the Argentine Primera Division on Friday night.

The visitors currently lie bottom of the standings and Velez could join them in the second tier unless both improve on recent form.

Match preview

Thirteen matches without victory have dragged Velez deep into relegation trouble.

Dating back to mid-March, Velez have picked up just six points from a possible 39 and now find themselves above the relegation place on just goal difference to Banfield.

There were hopes that a 5-1 win over Deportivo Espanol in the cup would have helped turn a corner, but Marcelo Bravo's side have lost all three league encounters since.

With Banfield playing at home this week too, a defeat here for Velez could send them bottom of the table, with their upcoming opponents Arsenal currently at the foot of the standings.

Having the worst form in the division does not bode well for the recently-appointed Bravo heading into the final six games of the season, but they will hope to fall back on previous good form against Arsenal.

Velez have not lost in any of their 16 games against Arsenal at home dating back to 2002, winning eight, and remaining unbeaten would be a positive as it would bring an end to their current four-game losing streak in the league.

The Argentine relegation system means as it stands Arsenal will be relegated not only as the side currently bottom of the standings, but as the side with the worst accumulative points tally from the past three seasons.

Even if they can catch some of the sides above them in the current standings - the bottom 10 are currently separated by just seven points - the coefficient table will send them down, after they also finished bottom last season, before the relegation rule change.

A huge swing will be needed for them to avoid the drop ahead of newly-promoted Instituto in the coefficient table, with Arsenal's average tally of 0.97 a long way short of Instituto's, which is currently at 1.05.

Federico Vilar's side have beaten drastically underperforming duo Boca Juniors and Independiente in recent weeks, but they have lost 11 of their other 12 matches since the start of April.

That awful run of form also includes a shock defeat at home to third-tier Villa Mitre in the cup in Early May.

With five of Arsenal's final six matches pitting them against sides currently in the bottom 10, a number of wins are going to be required if they are to miraculously escape the drop, with this game and a clash against Instituto both likely to be crucial.

Team News

Velez will remain without the injured Santiago Caseres for this one as he continues to recover from the injury which has kept him out for almost a year.

Top scorer Lucas Janson will hope to hit form again at an important time of the season, as he has not scored since a 3-3 draw with Banfield in early April.

Since then, Janson has been sent off and been benched twice, but he should start here alongside Julian Fernandez and Abiel Osorio in attack.

Arsenal will be able to welcome back Joaquin Pombo from suspension after he sat out the defeat against Platense last weekend.

However, they will be without their own top scorer Santiago Toloza after he picked up his fifth booking of the season in the same game.

Journeyman Luis Leal could come in to replace him after playing 28 minutes against Platense following the 36-year-old's return from international duty representing Sao Tome & Principe.

Velez Sarsfield possible starting lineup:
Gomez; Jara, Gianetti, Godin, Ortega; Seoane, Ordonez, Cabrera; Fernandez, Osorio, Janson

Arsenal Sarandi possible starting lineup:
Medina; Breitenbruch, Centurion, Cardozo, Pombo, Sporle; Biafore, Rivero, Guzman; Luis Leal, Londono

We say: Velez Sarsfield 1-1 Arsenal Sarandi

Arsenal have a poor record when travelling to the capital to face Velez, but many of their meetings have ended in draws.

With both sides woefully out of form, a similar outcome could ensue, and that would hardly benefit either side greatly.


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