Torneo Final Tip Sheet: River Plate and Velez to ramp up title chase

Betting Tips | Article posted on April 5th, 2025

River have this week confirmed their status as title challengers with two massive wins

“Beating Boca Juniors at La Bombonera for the first time in 10 years was significant in terms of media coverage, bragging rights and confidence but other recent wins over San Lorenzo, Lanús and Arsenal are arguably far more telling of the quality of this River team.”

After the drama of last week’s Superclasico, Argentine football throws up another big rivalry in round 12 of the Torneo Final. Here’s Ed Malyon to talk you through it…
Vélez Sarsfield v Racing Club – Sunday 00:30
Vélez are just one point off leaders Colón de Santa Fe and have shocked everyone with how well they’ve dealt with losing the Argentine Alex Ferguson, Ricardo Garea.
That said, we shouldn’t have been shocked. General Manager Christian Bassedas has remained in place and the club that has been so well-run in the last few years as to be labelled an example to others in Argentina has dealt with the transition superbly.
Granted, some of that success in transition is down to player recruitment and bringing Mauro Zaraté home. The forward always had the talent to succeed in Europe and ended up at both Inter and Lazio in Serie A, but his mindset was questionable and he was seen as so selfish that a large assist bonus was placed in his contract while in Italy.
Now back at the club where he made his name, Mauro is a big fish in a smaller pond and enjoying being the main man. That’s not to say he’s doing it on his own, of course, and in Lucas Pratto he has a wonderful foil who provides the power and physicality to allow him the necessary space. A strike partnership of remarkable chemistry, they have been involved in 35 of Velez’s 41 goals in 2025/14. Behind them is a talented midfield, principally comprising the latest graduates from an extremely successful youth system in Liniers.
If Vélez 1.748/11 are an ideally-run club, this week’s visitors Racing 6.3n/a are the opposite. A complete institutional basket-case, Racing’s season has been an embarrassment, again, and one of the country’s biggest clubs is in serious risk of relegation next year.
For now, while they’re safe from the drop they’re not safe from ridicule and confidence has never been lower at El Cilindro. The only thing retaining patience from the fans is that so many players in the current side are products of their own famed academy – with the kids being turned to when it was decided they couldn’t do any worse than the first-teamers.
Two wins all season, both at home, really make you worry for Racing but no stat is more damning than the fact that their top goalscorer in the Torneo Final is Sebastian Saja…