Atletico Rafaela v Vélez Sarsfield

Led by star striker Facundo 'Chucky' Ferrerya, Vélez took the Torneo Inicial title once more this season and an away game at Atletico Rafaela could turn into a goalfest, says Ed Malyon.

Vélez Sarsfield last week celebrated their eighth title in 20 years as they cemented their status as the most successful club outside the five grandes.

 

Their total of nine national titles is only bettered by the big five and amateur side Alumni - who disbanded 99 years ago - and their sustained success of recent years is without doubt heavily down to director of football Christian Bassedas and manager Ricardo Gareca.

 

In a league where short-termism is rampant and managers are hired, fired and re-circulated on an almost weekly basis, Gareca has remained in his post for four years, delivering the club three league titles in that time.

 

To give some sort of perspective; while there may have been seven different champions of Argentina since Gareca took over, two of those clubs have since been relegated, another three are now ordinary mid-table sides and the other two are two-time champs Boca and thrice-winners Vélez.

 

In a country where winning the league often leads to you being stripped of your best assets and having to start again, the job that Bassedas and Gareca have done to sustain their club as a challenger year-on-year is nothing short of remarkable.

 

That is not to say that players do not come and go at Vélez, far from it, only three of the side that won the 2011 Clausura were still at the club for this triumph, but they manage the club well and have evolved the team brilliantly by introducing young players and selling those just about to drop from their peak.

 

The key on-field presence in the end was Facundo 'Chucky' Ferreyra. After being bought from relegated Banfield in August, he started to raise eyebrows when he failed to score in the first eight rounds of the championship. From then on though, the young forward has excelled, bagging 11 goals to become top scorer in the league and he looks like becoming the striker he was tipped to be when he dazzled in the South American under-20s championships.

 

Having celebrated their title this week there may be concerns that Rafaela away may have a touch of the morning-after-the-night-before about it, but Gareca's charges are very loyal to their manager, and the man they call el Tigre (the tiger) has commanded them to win this weekend to break through the impressive 40-point barrier.

 

Rafaela could be dragged into the relegation battle with a poor Torneo Final in the new year but they don't seem overly concerned with their points average right now, and with a couple of heads starting to drift away in an okay-at-best sort of team, this could be quite an open game, and that will suit the champions.

 

Match Odds

Vélez don't need to win this game of course, but they sure as hell want to. Their irresistible late-season form has bred supreme confidence in the camp, and with Ferreyra on song they look good at 2.16.

 

Goals

As we've touched on, this game could surprise by being an open affair with Vélez simply looking to have fun after an intense few weeks. They have everything in their armoury to score plenty of goals - as well as the aforementioned 'Chucky' - while Rafaela have scored in all but two home games this season.

 

A back price of 2.46 is healthy enough for the over 2.5 goals market.

 

Other bets

If every game this season had finished at half time then champions Vélez would have finished ninth! Ten of their 18 games were level at the break, but they only ended up with two stalemates after 90 minutes, so backing Draw/Velez must have some value at 5.4.

 

Recommended Bets

Over 2.5 goals @ 2.46

Draw/Velez @ 5.4

 

Bet HERE !

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