Rosario Central are eight points off first-place River Plate in the Argentina Liga Pro. The Rabble can cut River Plate’s lead to five points with a win over Barracas Central on matchday No 20.
Barracas Central will welcome Rosario to the 4,400-capacity Estadio Claudio Chiqui Tapia on Friday night. Los Rojiblancos are on a two-game losing streak against Rosario in all competitions.
Sonríe el 9 😄🤩 pic.twitter.com/xFGmnErOFz— Rosario Central (@RosarioCentral) June 7, 2023
Sonríe el 9 😄🤩 pic.twitter.com/xFGmnErOFz
These teams met twice last season in cup and league fixtures. Rosario Central claimed back-to-back 3-1 wins over Barracas.
Rosario are in good form, as they took 10 points from the last six matches, scoring 11 goals and conceding seven times. The Rabble defeated Instituto 4-1 last time out. Rosario are not a good away team this season.
Manager Miguel Angel Russo watched the team fail to win their last five road games in the Pro Liga. Rosario have an away record of 1W-4D-4L this season and a goal difference of –8.
Barracas Central will be licking their lips with Rosario coming to town. Los Rojiblancos took nine points from their last six games in the division. They are coming off a 5-2 loss to Estudiantes, which ended a five-match unbeaten run.
Los Rojiblancos are unbeaten in three straight home matches going into the weekend. They have a home record of 4W-3D-3L this season and a goal difference of zero. Fifteen of Barracas's 22 points have come from home matches.
Manager Sergio Rondina took charge of Barracas Central in April. He has got decent results thus far. Rondina has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the fixture. Centre-forward Bruno Sepulveda leads the team in goals with five.
Barracas Central scored 19 goals in 19 games this season. Rondina needs the team to score more goals to move away from the relegation positions.
Rosario manager Russo will be without right-winger Walter Montoya due to a ruptured ankle ligament. He is the only player currently set to miss the fixture.
Rosario put four goals past Instituto last time out, with forward Lautaro Giaccone. He will be nailed on to start on the right side of the attack once more.
Giaccone has four goals this season and four assists. Meanwhile, Alejo Veliz has seven goals and winger Ignacio Malcorra has seven assists.
Rosario may not be playing well on the road, but they should improve their results on Friday night away to Barracas. It should be a close game, with Rosario edging Barracas 2-1.