Why you should watch the Argentine Primera División

This weekend, the Argentine Primera División returns to your screens, and it’s worth tuning in for. You’re certainly not going to see the tactical rigour of Europe’s major leagues, and you don’t have to be a particularly astute observer to notice the ball spends almost as much time in the air as it does on the ground. But what Argentinian football certainly isn’t short on is excitement. As with the majority of Latin American domestic divisions, the Argentine Primera División is a full-blooded, fast-paced league, with plenty of ridiculous goals and even more ridiculous supporters.

Here’s what you need to know to kick off your Primera División viewing.

If only they were so basic.

Last season the Argentine Primera División was effectively split into two halves, the Torneo Inicial and the the Torneo Final. The winner of each was crowned champion and handed a place in next year’s Copa Libertadores, the South American version of the Champions League.

At the end of the season, the champions of the Inicial and Final met in a big Superfinal, with River Plate downing San Lorenzo 1-0 last year. The Superfinal was initially considered to be a Primera División title in its own right, sitting alongside the Torneos Inicial and Final. It effectively meant that the Superfinal winner would’ve been counted as winning the league twice in a single season. Fortunately, everyone quickly realised this was absurd and within a year it was downgraded to a separate cup competition, a bit like the English Community Shield.

This year, however, the Argentine domestic season kicks off with a short Torneo de Transición, or “transition tournament” running to November, from which no one will be relegated. That will allow a remarkable 10 extra teams to join the division upon its conclusion, and create a single, year-long 30-team division kicking off in February. However, the recent death of the long-serving president of the Argentine FA, Julio Grondona, has thrown this into doubt.

Does this sound stupid? That’s because it is stupid, but weird stuff like this is why football in the Americas is worth following.

Argentine football would probably prefer to be a little more organised when it comes to its league format, but on the field unpredictability can only be a good thing. Unlike in the major European leagues where a handful of gigantic teams invariably dominate, predicting the winner of the Primera División is pretty difficult. Of the current crop of top-flight teams, only six of them have never won a title. Even the traditional beasts of the division, Boca Juniors and River Plate, have gone through rough patches over the last few years.

Of all of the great footballing derbies, the Superclásico contested by River Plate and Boca Juniors may well be the very best of them all. In 2004, British national newspaper The Observer placed attending a Superclásico at the very top of its list of “50 sporting things you must do before you die.”

Fought between the two most successful teams ever to come out of Argentina, and two sides historically at opposing ends of the socioeconomic spectrum, the Superclásicos are always feverishly exciting/terrifying occasions. The stands are invariably packed with crazed flag-bearing, flare-waving supporters. Whether staged in the massive bowl that is River’s El Monumental, or Boca’s tall, boxy Bombonera, it is a phenomenal sight.

What’s more, there are plenty of derbies to dip into. With so many of Argentina’s sides from the sprawling Buenos Aires, there are plenty of fiery clashes, even if none are quite as spectacular as the Superclásico. There are three other fierce derbies this season outside of the capital: Racing-Independiente, Newell’s-Rosario Central and Estudiantes-Gimnasia.

El Clasico Rosarino between Newell’s Old Boys and Rosario Central is particularly crazy, and this year’s editions should be particularly intense. When they played each other back in 2009, it looked like this.

It’s just as well that River Plate have once again established themselves as one of Argentina’s strongest teams, as otherwise it’d be pretty hard to stop their fans weeping in recollection of their 2007 side. Spearheaded by Alexis Sánchez and Radamel Falcao, and coached by Diego Simeone, it was a remarkable team. Despite the physical nature of the league, Argentina continues to be a hotbed of exciting young talent today, and may well contain a Sánchez or a Falcao of the future.

Players like Facundo Ferreyra (who has signed for Newcastle United via Shakhtar Donetsk), Ángel Correa (who is set to join Atlético Madrid), and Luciano Vietto (who has just completed a move to Villarreal) are the latest in a long line of fine exports from the Argentine Primera División. You can be sure to clap eyes on a another one or two if you tune in this season.

But it sure isn’t just the youngsters who are worth watching. It’s not uncommon for talented Argentines to return to their homeland before retirement, or even earlier. Last year former Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago returned to Boca Juniors from Valencia, while Valencia’s Éver Banega spent the latter part of last season on loan at Newell’s Old Boys, and could return yet again. At only 28 and 26 years old respectively, they were both great signings, more than capable of doing a good job for a European side.

Just this summer, Champions League-winning Inter Milan legend Diego Milito left the nerazzurri after five years of service to rejoin his boyhood club Racing. He’s now 35 and only recently returned from a serious knee injury, though it’s hard to see him struggling for goals in the Primera División. Alas, while we will see Milito this season, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see great Argentine playmaker Juan Román Riquelme, who has left Boca to play for the recently relegated Argentinos Juniors. Other former European greats like David Trezeguet and Mauro Camoranesi have also graced the league recently, and others like them should join soon.

It goes without saying that Boca Juniors and River Plate are the bookies’ favourites for success this season. However, Boca will be without winger Juan Sánchez Miño, striker Lucas Viatri and the aforementioned Riquelme, who have all left for other clubs. They’ll be hoping their string of domestic arrivals will help them limit their losses.

River have done comparatively little in the transfer window, though that means they’ve managed to hold onto their top talents. In Téo Gutiérrez they have one of the best strikers in the league, while Manuel Lanzini is an outstanding creative force. Colombian international Éder Alvarez Balanta is also an intriguing prospect (though the defender has been strongly linked with a move to Europe) while his countryman Carlos Carbonero has yet to re-sign and is rumored to be considering other offers. If they can keep their team together, River should probably be your No. 1 pick.

Vélez Sarsfield were the best of the rest last season, though have lost their star man Mauro Zárate to West Ham United this summer while talented winger Agustín Allione has been sold to Brazil’s Palmeiras. They should be watching out for a charge from Lanús, whose experienced squad has been strengthened with the addition of winger Iván Bella, who starred at Vélez before an unsuccessful spell in Mexico.

Other potentially dangerous sides include Racing Club, who have tricky winger Ricardo Centurión back after a loan spell in Italy, as well as Milito replacing Vietto. Alas, they’re without Rodrigo de Paul and Bruno Zuculini, who have left for Valencia and Manchester City respectively.

With the return of striker Ignacio Scocco from Sunderland, Newell’s Old Boys could be competing near the top once again, while the addition of ex-Catania playmaker Pablo Barrientos should mean Copa Libertadores finalists San Lorenzo don’t miss the departing Ángel Correa quite so much. It’s these seven sides you should probably be paying the most attention to.

In the United States, TYC Sports and GOLTV regularly carry games, but they’re not in a lot of households. However, even if you can’t get those channels, you’re still in luck. Canal 7 TV Publica in Argentina is streaming live without geoblocking at all times, and they show most of the games. Thanks, Argentinian government!

Godoy Cruz vs. Banfield - Friday, 5 p.m.
Rosario Central vs. Quilmes - Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Defensa y Justicia vs. Racing Club - Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Independiente vs. Atlético Rafaela - Sunday, 2:15 p.m.
Boca Juniors vs. Newell’s Old Boys - Sunday, 5:30 p.m.
Gimnasia vs. River Plate - Sunday, 8:30 p.m.
Arsenal vs. Estudiantes - Monday, 5 p.m.
Tigre vs. Vélez Sarsfield - Monday, 7:30 p.m.
Lanús vs. Belgrano - Wednesday, 5 p.m.
San Lorenzo vs. Olimpo postponed due to the Copa Libertadores final