10/16/2020 1:59 PM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 10/16/2020 2:59 PM
Everything is ready.
There is less and less time for the ball to roll again in Argentina's first division football.
The match schedule for the tournament that will begin on October 30 and under the wing of the brand new Professional Football League (LPF), is defined this Friday in the draw held at the AFA property, in Ezeiza.
The ceremony was held
outdoors
- to comply with the social distancing imposed since the coronavirus pandemic broke out - and
had the participation of players from the 24 participating teams:
representatives from the 14 AMBA clubs were present (including the two from La Plata) and virtually, via Zoom, those of the remaining 10.
There were also leaders from each institution.
Thus the groups were armed
Zone 1
Racing
Arsenal
Athletic Tucuman
Union
Zone 2
Independent
Defense and Justice
Central Córdoba (SdE)
Colon
Zone 3
River
Banfield
Godoy Cruz
Rosario Central
Zone 4
Mouth
Lanús
Workshops
Newell's
Zone 5
San Lorenzo
Argentinians
Aldosivi
Students
Zone 6
Velez
Hurricane
Patronage
Gymnastics
Tinelli: "Soccer is a great example"
"It is a very special day for Argentine football, that we have the opportunity to be here, in this beautiful venue where the stars of our National Team have passed. To be able to have the return of football from this place, to the protagonists, to the leaders, to the officials. Between all of us we have worked a lot to be able to reach this moment. And to have it from the AFA. It is very important to have made the whole football family unite, "said the president of the AFA, Claudio Tapia in the speech opening of the event.
In addition, he highlighted the work of the leaders to support the measures implemented by the health agencies and thanked the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Matías Lammens, for the financial support to be able in the clubs to cope with the crisis derived from the pandemic and at the same time time to help those most in need.
"We are very excited," added the president of the Professional League and top man of San Lorenzo, Marcelo Tinelli.
"Today is a day of gratitude and for me of great emotion: today one of the glories of San Lorenzo, Lobo Fischer, has passed away and I want to dedicate this presentation to him and his family. The first thing I have to say is thank you. To all those who were in these difficult moments of world uncertainty. Protocols could be established to be able to return to football as safely as possible. We have been an example for everyone. We have played the Libertadores, then the Qualifiers came ... It has been a brilliant job "Tinelli recounted.
Marcelo Tinelli was one of the speakers in the preview of the draw for the new Argentine soccer tournament.
Photo: TV picture
Visibly moved, the television host also highlighted the unity of Argentine soccer and the work of the leaders to cope with these difficult moments.
"Soccer is a great example, it is the joy of many Argentines and Argentines. We have to be responsible, we have to give a message. It is important to return with responsibility. Soccer is social work, soccer is not just a ball. We fight always for the civil associations and for the social role of football. Thanks to all, the joy of the Argentines begins ", he summarized.
Finally, Minister Lammens thanked those present on behalf of the entire national government for being understanding of the needs that the country was experiencing and they did not suffer pressure.
“The priorities set by the time was to take care of the health of Argentines and Argentines.
Despite not having won a battle yet, it is true that we have to start thinking about Argentina's reactivation agenda and football is part of our identity.
This return is a great step towards the new normal ”
Argentine football is back!
Players from the #LigaProfesional de Fútbol de @afa present to witness the draw of the #CopaLigaProfesional zones 🏆
👉 I. Pillud (@RacingClub)
👉 L. Grimi (@CAHuracan)
👉 M. Carusso (@aaajoficial)
👉 S Romero (@Independent) pic.twitter.com/X7uPeHrz4w
- Professional Football League |
At home 🏠 (@LigaAFA) October 16, 2020
How is the format of the Professional Football League
The sanitary measures will be taken from the same access to the Julio Humberto Grondona property and, according to AFA sources, the Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Nation, Matías Lammens, will also participate in the act.
The LPF will start on October 30 and end on January 17 of next year, with a super compressed schedule.
In the first stage,
the 24 teams are divided into six zones of four members
that will play home and away matches - a model similar to that of the group stage of the Copa Libertadores.
This is how the drums were composed
Pot 1:
Boca, Independiente, Racing, River, San Lorenzo and Vélez.
Pot 2:
Colón, Students, Gymnastics, Newell's, Rosario Central and Unión.
Pot 3:
Aldosivi, Atlético Tucumán, Central Córdoba (SdE), Godoy Cruz, Board of Trustees and Workshops.
Pot 4:
Argentinos Juniors, Arsenal, Banfield, Defense and Justice, Huracán and Lanús.
The two best
teams
from each zone will enter the
championship zone
- in which 12 teams divided into two groups of six will participate - and the two worst will go to the
complementary zone - they will be
the other 12 teams, also matches in two groups of six.
In that instance, each team will play five games -only the first leg- and the location will be determined by the sum of points from the first phase.
The winners of the two championship zones will play a single match final that will not only define the owner of the star that will be at stake, but also a place for the Copa Libertadores 2021. For their part, the winners of the two complementary zones will play one final whose winner will fight, also in a single match, for a place in the Copa Sudamericana 2022 with the loser of the final for the championship.
Marcelo Tinelli, Nicolás Russo, Sergio Rapisarda, Víctor Blanco and Claudio Tapia leave Casa Rosada this Wednesday after obtaining permission for the return of football.
Photo: Marcelo Carroll
Two clarifications.
The championship will not count for the table of relegation (suspended until 2022) nor will it have the day of interzonal or classic matches, as was originally thought.
The only possible confrontation of the traditional ones possible will be San Lorenzo-Huracán
, which do not share a ciborium, but it will not occur, at least in the initial phase: the Parque de los Patricios club will automatically go to another group if it falls in the same area as the set of Boedo.
The return of the First Division tournament, with the launch of this unique competition organized by the Professional Club League,
will be the starting point for the return of the remaining categories of Argentine football
.
Thus, the First National will resume on November 7 and two weeks later it will be the turn of the restart for First B, First C, Federal A and Women - a Cup called YPF will be played-, while the December 6 is the scheduled date for the return of the First D.
The AFA also warned in the last hours to the clubs of all categories, through a statement, "that 48 hours before the next Executive Committee meeting (on Wednesday 21), the tables of the different divisionals must present the form of dispute of the small tournaments that will define promotions to the higher category. "
Yes, football was stopped for more than seven months and, amid disputes and quarrels, no one thought about how the competition would continue.
MFV