Argentine Clausura Preview

Like many other leagues in Latin America the Argentine season is split into two parts. The Torneo Apertura and the Torneo Clausura. The Torneo Apertura usually runs from August to December and the Torneo Clausura from Februrary to June. In the Apertura 19 games are played with the reverse fixtures (as regards home and away games) being played in the Clausura. The league consists of 20 teams and relegations are decided by a 3 year averaging system. The winner of the Apertura this year was Estudiantes and the Clausura is due to start on Friday 11th 2011.

The Clubs:

All Boys
Apertura Position: 8th
Manager: José Romero
Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)
Stadium: Estadio Islas Malvinas
Capacity: 25,000
Star Player: Ariel Ortega

Argentinos Juniors

Apertura Position: 13th

Manager: Pedro Troglio

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium: Estadio Diego Armando Maradona

Capacity: 24,800

Star Player: Juan Mercier

Arsenal de Sarandí

Apertura Position: 3rd

Manager: Gustavo Alfaro

Location: Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Julio Humberto Grondona

Capacity: 18,300

Star Player: Luciano Leguizamón

Banfield

Apertura Position: 15th

Manager: Sebastián Méndez

Location: Lomas de Zamora, Gran Buenos Aires 

Stadium: Estadio Florencio Solá

Capacity: 37,245

Star Player: Víctor Lopéz

Boca Juniors

Apertura Position: 11th

Manager: Julio César Falcioni

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium:  Estadio Alberto J. Armando (La Bombonera)

Capacity: 49,000

Star Player: Juan Román Riquelme

Colón 

Apertura Position: 10th

Manager: Fernando Gamboa

Location: Santa Fe

Stadium: Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López (Cementario de los Elefantes)

Capacity: 33,548

Star Player: Esteban Fuertes

Estudiantes

Apertura Position: 1st

Manager: Eduardo Berizzo

Location: La Plata, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi. Now playing at Estadio Ciudad de la Plata.

Capacity: 23,000

Star Player: Juan Sebastián Verón

Gimnasia y Esgrima de la Plata

Apertura Position: 19th

Manager: Ángel Cappa

Location: La Plata, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Juan Carlos Zerillo (El Bosque)

Capacity: 25,544

Star Player: Guillermo Barros Schelotto

Godoy Cruz

Apertura Position: 5th

Manager: Jorge Da Silva

Location: Mendoza

Stadium: Estadio Feliciano Gambarte. Now playing at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas de Mendoza.

Capacity: 14,000

Star Player: Nicolás Olmedo



Huracán

Apertura Position: 18th

Manager: Miguel Ángel Brindisi

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium: Estadio Tomás Adolfo Ducó

Capacity: 48,314

Star Player: Rolando Zárate

Independiente

Apertura Position: 20th

Manager: Antonio Mohamed

Location: Avellanada, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Libertadores de América

Capacity: 44,000

Star Player: Hilario Navarro

Lanús

Apertura Position: 7th

Manager: Gabriel Schrürrer

Location: Lanús, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Ciudad de Lanús

Capacity: 46,619

Star Player: Mauro Camoranesi

Newell's Old Boys

Apertura Position: 9th

Manager: Roberto Sensini

Location: Rosario

Stadium: Estadio Marcelo Bielsa

Capacity: 38,095

Star Player: Rolando Schiavi

Olimpo

Apertura Position: 17th

Manager: Omar de Felippe

Location: Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Roberto Natalio Carminatti

Capacity: 16,000

Star Player: Laureano Tombolini

Quilmes

Apertura Position: 16th

Manager: Leonardo Madelón

Location: Quilmes, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Dr. José Luis Meiszner

Capacity: 30,200

Star Player: Juan José Morales

Racing

Apertura Position: 6th

Manager: Miguel Ángel Russo

Location: Avellaneda, Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Presidente Juan Domingo Perón

Capacity: 51,389

Star Player: Giovanni Moreno

River Plate

Apertura Position: 4th

Manager: Juan José López

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium: Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti

Capacity: 57,921

Star Player: Mariano Pavone

San Lorenzo

Apertura Position: 13th

Manager: Ramón Díaz

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium: Estadio Pedro Bidegain

Capacity: 43,494

Star Player: Juan Manuel Torres

Tigre 

Apertura Position: 14th

Manager: Rodolfo Arruabarrena

Location: Gran Buenos Aires

Stadium: Estadio Coliseo de Victoria

Capacity: 30,000

Star Player: Denis Stracqualursi

Vélez 

Apertura Position: 2nd

Manager: Ricardo Gareca

Location: Buenos Aires (Capital Federal)

Stadium: Estadio José Amalfitani

Capacity: 49,540

Star Player: Juan Manuel Martínez