Estudiantes vs. Belgrano: Copa Sudamericana
Estudiantes, four-time champion of the Copa Libertadores de América, will host Belgrano from Córdoba today in the first leg of the second phase of the Copa Sudamericana, whose winner will face a Brazilian team in the round of 16.
The match will be played at 21:45 at the Ciudad de La Plata stadium, refereed by Paraguayan Julio César Quintana and televised by Fox Sports.
The rematch between "Pinchas" and "Piratas" will be held on September 15 at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Córdoba.
Estudiantes did not reinforce much for the new season, although it had an important return like that of Rodrigo "Chapu" Braña, who will not play today, and the Uruguayan full-back Matías Aguirregaray also returned, after a loan spell at Peñarol from Montevideo.
The coach of "Pincha", Nelson David Vivas, had only one doubt to define the team, because the striker Lucas Viatri had a physical problem, but he finally overcame it and will start the match.
In Belgrano, captain and historical reference Guillermo Farré will not be there, as he did not recover from tendinitis in his right knee and will be replaced by Federico Lértora, one of the new signings, along with the return of the forward who emerged from the club Matías Suárez, after playing for eight years at Anderlech in Belgium.
The clash between Estudiantes and Belgrano is expected to be evenly matched, and the winner will play against a Brazilian team in the round of 16, who will prevail in the clash between Vitória and Coritiba.
Possible lineups
Estudiantes: Mariano Andújar; Facundo Sánchez, Jonathan Schunke, Leandro Desábato and Matías Aguirregaray; Israel Damonte and Santiago Ascacibar; Augusto Solari, Juan Ignacio Cavallaro and Lucas Rodríguez; Lucas Viatri. Coach: Nelson David Vivas.
Belgrano: Juan Carlos Olave; Sebastián Luna, Cristian Lema, Lucas Aveldaño and Federico Álvarez; Mario Bolatti; Matías Suárez, Federico Lértora and Gastón Álvarez Suárez; Gabriel Alanis and Claudio Bieler. Coach: Esteban González.
Referee: Julio César Quintana from Paraguay, assisted by his compatriots Eduardo Cardozo and Milcíades Saldívar.
Stadium: Estadio Unico Ciudad de La Plata.
Kick-off time: 21:45.
TV: Fox Sports.