Explainer-Soccer-Argentine Apertura tournament explained
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentina Primera Division - Boca Juniors v River Plate - Estadio La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina - September 21, 2024 Boca Juniors fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Argentine Primera Division - River Plate v Boca Juniors - Estadio Mas Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - April 27, 2025 River Plate fans inside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File Photo
Argentina's football season shifts into high gear this weekend as the Apertura tournament kicks off its knockout phase, setting the stage for three weeks of drama.
Here's everything you need to know as Argentina's top clubs chase glory.
WHAT IS THE APERTURA?
The Apertura or "Opening" tournament is half of Argentina's split-season format, which was reintroduced in 2025 after its last implementation in 2012. It runs from January to June and is followed by the Clausura or "Closing" tournament from July to December.
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
The tournament reaches its climax after a 16-round group stage, where 30 clubs are split into two 15-team groups or zones playing 14 matches within their group and two inter-zonal clashes against the other.
The top eight from each zone advance to the knockout stage, seeded by their regular-season results in a bracket designed to keep the nation's fiercest rivals apart until a possible final showdown.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will be single-legged ties hosted by the higher-seeded team with matches level after 90 minutes proceeding straight to penalties.
The final will be played on neutral ground at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero on June 1, with extra time before penalties if necessary.
WHO ARE THE CONTENDERS?
Despite occasional stumbles through the group stage, River Plate and Boca Juniors remain the dominant forces in Argentine football, accounting for seven of the last 10 league titles between them.
With the big two on opposite sides of the bracket, hopes are high for a potential Superclasico final that would send the nation into collective delirium.
River appear to be hitting their stride at the right time, having scored 11 goals in their last four matches, including a 4-1 thrashing of reigning champions Velez Sarsfield, who failed to qualify for the knockouts.
Boca were on top form before a late stumble, including a Superclasico loss, saw them slip from top spot on goal difference.
Beyond the Buenos Aires giants, Group A winners Argentinos Juniors are seeking their first title since 2010, while Rosario Central, leaders in Group B, could be well positioned to end a 38-year league championship drought.
YOUNG TALENT TAKING CENTRE STAGE
Despite a steady stream of promising players heading abroad, Argentina's production line continues to turn out talent.
River remain one of the most important academies and their 17-year-old midfielder Franco Mastantuono has been linked with a move to Manchester United as he attracted attention with his stunning free-kick in last month's Superclasico.
Winger Ian Subiabre has also drawn Premier League interest, increasing his playing time in River's attack. The 18-year-old could follow in the footsteps of former teammate Claudio Echeverri, who joined Manchester City after a few senior games.
Boca have 19-year-old Milton Delgado, widely regarded as one of the world's top midfield prospects, while Kevin Zenon appears set for European shores after this year's Club World Cup.
Rosario Central striker Santiago Lopez has also made a strong impression, scoring twice in his last six regular-season appearances.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Beyond national glory, the Apertura champions automatically qualify for the 2026 Copa Libertadores - South America's Champions League - and will contest the Argentine Champions Trophy against the Clausura winners.
WHO QUALIFIED?
ZONE A ZONE B
Argentinos Rosario Central
Juniors
Boca Juniors River Plate
Racing Club Independiente
Huracan San Lorenzo
Tigre Deportivo
Riestra
Independiente Platense
Rivadavia
Barracas Lanus
Central
Estudiantes Instituto
LAST 16 FIXTURES:
May 10: San Lorenzo v Tigre
Rosario Central v Estudiantes
Racing Club v Platense
Boca Juniors v Lanus
May 11: Independiente v Independiente Rivadavia
Argentinos Juniors v Instituto
Huracan v Deportivo Riestra
May 12: River Plate v Barracas REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Alcaraz returns to French Open final after ailing Musetti retires
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 6, 2025 Italy's Lorenzo Musetti shakes hands with Spain's Carlos Alcaraz as he walks off the court after retiring from the semi final match REUTERS/Lisi Niesner PARIS - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached back-to-back French Open finals after Italian eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired with injury while trailing 4-6 7-6(3) 6-0 2-0 on Friday. Alcaraz, who is attempting to become only the third man to retain his Roland Garros title this century after Rafa Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten, will face either world number one Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final. "It's never great to go through like this," Alcaraz said, before hailing Musetti's achievement of reaching at least the semi-finals of all four elite claycourt events this year. "He's a great player, he has had an incredible claycourt season ... I wish him a speedy recovery and I'm sure we'll be enjoying his tennis pretty soon." Musetti twice denied Alcaraz the chance to break in the opening nine games before the 23-year-old suddenly dialled up the intensity and snatched the opening set when his Spanish opponent produced errors in a poor service game. A frustrated Alcaraz kicked his bench during the second set but finally found a way through Musetti's dogged defence to draw level after a tiebreak and then produced a dazzling display of power and precision to dish out a bagel in the third set. Musetti, who appeared to be hampered by a left thigh issue midway through the third set, threw in the towel after two games in the fourth. "The first two sets were tough. I had chances to be up in the match but couldn't make the most of them," Alcaraz added. "When I won the second set, I was relieved and I knew that I needed to be aggressive and be myself. I was calmer. I could see clearer and I could play great tennis at the start of the third. "I'm feeling great physically. It's been three intense weeks but I have one more step to take. I'm playing great tennis and I have great confidence. I've been doing great things in this tournament and now is the time to give 100% in the final." Alcaraz said he would tune into the second semi-final on Court Philippe Chatrier to study his potential opponents. "I'm not going to miss tonight's match, it's one of the best we can have right now, Sinner against Djokovic," he said. "I'm going to watch it and enjoy it and take tactics from the match." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Alcaraz sees off ailing Musetti for return to French Open final
Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 6, 2025 Italy's Lorenzo Musetti shakes hands with Spain's Carlos Alcaraz as he walks off the court after retiring from the semi final match REUTERS/Lisi Niesner Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 6, 2025 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his semi final match against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq PARIS - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached back-to-back French Open finals after Italian eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti retired with injury while trailing 4-6 7-6(3) 6-0 2-0 on Friday. Alcaraz, who is attempting to become only the third man to retain his Roland Garros title this century after Rafa Nadal and Gustavo Kuerten, will face either world number one Jannik Sinner or 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final. Musetti twice denied Alcaraz the chance to break in the opening nine games before the 23-year-old suddenly dialled up the intensity and snatched the opening set when his Spanish opponent produced errors in a poor service game. A frustrated Alcaraz kicked his bench during the second set but finally found a way through Musetti's dogged defence to draw level after a tiebreak and then produced a dazzling display of power and precision to dish out a bagel in the third set. Musetti, who appeared to be hampered by a left thigh issue midway through the third set, threw in the towel after two games in the fourth. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Win over Swiatek was nothing special, still work to be done-Sabalenka coach
Jun 5, 2025; Paris, FR; Aryna Sabalenka reacts to a point during her match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on day 12 at Roland Garros Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 5, 2025; Paris, FR; Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during her match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on day 12 at Roland Garros Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images REUTERS Jun 5, 2025; Paris, FR; Aryna Sabalenka returns a shot during her match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on day 12 at Roland Garros Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images REUTERS Win over Swiatek was nothing special, still work to be done-Sabalenka coach PARIS - World number one Aryna Sabalenka's French Open semi-final victory over four-time champion Iga Swiatek on Thursday carried her to her first ever final in Paris but no one from her team is celebrating her big win over the 'queen of clay' just yet. Sabalenka battled past the defending champion in three sets to set up a final against second seed American Coco Gauff. The Belarusian is seeking to add her first claycourt Grand Slam to her collection that already includes two consecutive Australian Open titles in 2023-24 and last year's U.S. Open crown. All three of these titles were won on hardcourts. But for her coach Anton Dubrov the key is for the 27-year-old to remain grounded despite the big win over the best female claycourt player in the past two decades. "It was a great match against Iga, but I don't see it as something like as a huge win right now," Dubrov told a press conference on Friday. "Maybe in a few weeks, few months I will look back and say it's great, but for now I don't see that it was something special." Sabalenka has said that for years she was told that she would not succeed on clay as the surface was not necessarily suited to her power game. But it was this game that carried her past Swiatek, with her powerful serve helping dish out a bagel in the last set. "The job is not done. So we don't experience this kind of high, like emotions right now," Dubrov said. "It's like what's the next step. Great level, good quality, but we need to move on and do something else. "What we're trying to message to Aryna is we cannot control the result, but we can control how we can do it, and only the result can show us, was this work actually what we need or was it something else." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
