With River out of the Libertadores, what do the qualifiers and relegation look like?

After victory mouth In the Super Clásico vs river He stole all the flashes of the penultimate date of the regular stage, and the entire Argentine football is not absent from its schedules. Which is that it is in Professional LeagueEveryone plays for something. Those who do not qualify for the round of 16 are still competing to enter the qualifiers. Whoever does not reach the cups is definitely fighting for relegation. Some even have two conversations at the same time.

Next weekend, the Professional League will know which eight teams in Region A and which eight teams in Region B will play in the round of 16 in search of the title, on their way to the playoffs. But the players ranked in the Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana will also be decided, as well as the two who will be relegated to the second division.

In this context, and with Rosario Central unable to reach the top of the annual standings, it was Boca that finally completed a perfect Sunday: with a victory over Millonario, they secured a second privileged place that placed them in the group stage of the highest club competition at South American level, after three years.

As for River, on the other hand, expectations have become complicated. On Monday, Independiente’s defeat to Deportivo Ristra, which they lost at home after 27 matches, allowed Malevo not to catch up. But Argentinos Juniors’ victory over Belgrano moved it to fourth place in the annual table and in the qualifying positions to enter the Libertadores: if it ends this way, to reach the cup it will need to be champion (which would qualify it directly), Central, Boca or (in this case) Argentinos to win the final league and open the qualifying place. The same position that Xeneize obtained in 2025 when it was eliminated by Alianza Lima.

Speaking of Independiente: Quinteros achieved its third win in a row, reaching 44 points and dreaming of the Sudamericana. How do you enter? First, they have to beat Rosario Central at home in Round 16. After that, they will have to wait: until Huracan draws or loses with Paracas Central, then advances to the next two places: the champion emerges.

San Lorenzo, which tied with Canala in Arroito, and Racing, which achieved a decisive victory over Defensa e Justicia, still have a mathematical chance to enter the major competition in South America. Although no one should give up because there are many alternatives that can provide additional places.

The thing is that if the Clausura champion ends up in Central or Boca, at the same time as River or any of the qualifiers by table, an extra place will open up, and perhaps the one who appears at some point in fourth place and in the Sudamericana may end up with Libertadores chances.

Regarding Sudamericana, the conflict is broader and involves many suitors. Another place could also open up if one of them wins the final league (because they will qualify for the Libertadores), or if it is Lanús who puts himself in this range and ends up reaching the final of the Sudamericana which he will play against Atlético Mineiro on Saturday the 22nd, a title that he will also add to the Libertadores next year.

It should be noted that in addition to Rosario Central and now Boca, the other two teams already qualified for the 2026 Copa Libertadores are Independiente Rivadavia (Cupa Argentina champion) and Platense (Apertura champion).

Aside from qualifying for the Copa Libertadores and racing to the Sudamericana, a host of teams in both regions are competing for a place in the round of 16. There will be eight A teams versus eight B teams, with the best home team having the advantage. It is the same mechanism as the inaugural tournament, which enshrined Platense, but with a major change: in this final tournament, there will be an extension in the event of a tie, and there will be no direct penalties.

Regarding the round of 16 of the final league, this weekend, Racing took a major step by defeating Defensa e Justicia, to reach the top eight. Other winners so far this weekend are Union and Paracas Central, who tied and stayed in Zone A, as well as Tigre, who beat Estudiantes and punched their ticket to the next round.

In the battle to avoid relegation, two transcendent outcomes occurred: Aldosivi took a major step by beating Banfield as a visitor In the last match, thanks to a controversial penalty kick, Godoy Cruz got into trouble on his own after losing 2-1 at Estadio Atlético Tucuman. The fall of Tomba relieved the pressure of everything because these two landings, which until these hours had been within the limits of Talleres, Nuyuels, Gimnasia and others, were now the exclusive thing of three: those of Mar del Plata, and those of Mendoza and San Martín de San Juan.

El Tiburon surpassed San Juan by two points at the bottom of the table, both on an annual basis and on average. And the disease is complete because the team led by Guillermo Farre will receive next weekend the team of Pepe Romagnoli in Minilla in Mar del Plata, knowing that with victory they will be saved from everything.

Even more complicated is the situation of Godoy Cruz, who is no longer self-reliant and the most he can hope for is to break even. On the last date, they receive Deportivo Ristra with the obligation to win and wait for the result between Aldosivi and San Martin de San Juan. If there is a tie, they will face the Shark. If Santo wins, he will always be his rival.

For the green and black, the set of results that would keep them in the elite of Argentine football is simple: they need to beat Aldosivi (and send him to B), and wait for Godoy Cruz’s result: if their neighbors in Cuyo lose or draw, they will be saved; If they win, they will have to play a tiebreaker to get the same points.