San Lorenzo vs Independiente Predictions

Saturday’s Superliga Argentina action sees San Lorenzo doing battle with city rivals Independiente. A close game is expected to be in order as both sides fight for the much-needed 3 points on offer.

San Lorenzo haven’t started 2019 in the best of fashion, first drawing 0-0 at home to arch enemy Huracan, prior to losing 1-0 in the last minute at Defensa y Justicia last weekend and pressure is starting to build on boss Jorge Almiron. Seen as a coup when appointed, Almiron has failed to kick any life into El Ciclon’s miserable campaign and improvement certainly needs to come sooner rather than later, starting in Saturday’s clash.

With no wins in 8 Superliga matches, San Lorenzo currently sit 23rd with just 14 points from 16 games. It’s fair to say the side weren’t seen as title contenders coming into the season but unless things turn around swiftly, they’re set for an embarrassingly low finish for a club of their size.

Meanwhile, Independiente didn’t really impress in their first league match following the mid-season break, being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Talleres last weekend. Now without a win in 4 league matches overall, El Rojo aren’t in the best of form and currently find themselves down in 7th place, some 15 points behind leaders, and bitter rivals, Racing Club.

Ariel Holan has done a good job overall since he stepped into the Independiente dugout back in 2017, but there’s been the first real signs of discontent in visiting ranks in recent weeks, with numerous key figures having departed and several disagreements behind the scenes rumoured to have taken place. Combined with less than ideal recent results, it’s fair to say the side don’t arrive for Saturday’s game in the highest of spirits but those taking to the pitch will be desperate for all 3 points in order to raise morale.

Ultimately, although these two outfits are a part of Argentina’s ‘traditional big 5’, neither is playing in a manner deserving of said tag at the moment and both sides come into this clash low on confidence but hungry for victory to lift building pressure.

We find the two very difficult to split and as such, a bet on the match ending in a draw looks an excellent way to play. For all their struggles, San Lorenzo are still fairly difficult to beat on home soil and with Independiente struggling, we can’t see them taking all 3 points back to Avellaneda.

San Lorenzo have drawn 4 of their last 8 Superliga matches, as well as their last 2 home outings and with Independiente’s last two league games having finished 1-1, that’s a scoreline we can envisage the spoils being shared via.