Velez Sarsfield — Atletico Tucuman : Match Preview and Prediction for September 30,2025

Current Form and League Standing

Let’s get straight to the facts. Vélez approaches this match after a frustrating exit from the Copa Libertadores at the hands of Racing. However, Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s team must now focus entirely on the championship, where their performance has been significantly better. “El Fortín” currently sits in third place in their Clausura group, having accumulated 18 points from 9 rounds, and is only four points behind the leader with a game in hand.

Squad Challenges and Absences

Naturally, one cannot overlook the significant personnel issues, which are proving to be a real headache for the coaching staff. Manuel Lanzini is out due to a fractured rib, and Aarón Quirós is suspended. Furthermore, forward Imanol Machuca has received a year-long FIFA ban due to a document scandal involving the Malaysian national team, leading the club to already suspend him from matches. Add to this the injuries to Jano Gordon and Tomás Cavanagh, as well as several youth players departing for the U20 national team.

Home Advantage and Defensive Strength

Yet, it is precisely in such challenging situations that a team’s quality, particularly when playing at home, truly shines through. The “José Amalfitani” stadium is a formidable fortress. The statistics speak for themselves: Vélez has won 6 of their last 8 home matches. Defensively, the team performs exceptionally well on their home turf, having conceded only 4 goals in 9 tournament games, which is one of the best records in the league. Adding further stability, Lisandro Magallán, having served his suspension, returns to the defense, promising more experience and reliability at the back.

Atletico Tucuman’s Recent Performance

Vélez’s opponent enters this match on an emotional high after their 2-0 home victory against River Plate. This is undoubtedly a strong result. However, the key word here is “home.” As soon as Atlético Tucumán leaves their home stadium, all their magic seems to vanish.

Poor Away Form

Consider this: the team appears utterly helpless when playing away. The trend speaks for itself: Atlético Tucumán has lost 12 of their last 16 away matches. In the current Clausura campaign, their away statistics are disheartening: just one point earned and three losses in four games. The players themselves acknowledge this. Midfielder Nicolás Laméndola explicitly states that just as strong as they are at home, their opponents are equally strong on their own pitches.

League Position and Outlook

Lucas Pusineri’s team currently occupies seventh place in their group with 12 points. The six-point gap with Vélez reflects the current difference in class and ambition between the two sides. In their last away game, they lost 0-2 to Newell’s Old Boys, and before that, they were defeated 0-1 by Gimnasia. This team is heavily reliant on its home advantage, and a trip to Liniers promises nothing but trouble for them.