This week Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Tony are visited by listener Tommy to discuss a week of action that's seen Atlético Tucumán remain top of the table with an unlikely chasing pack, and Vélez Sarsfield emerge as the only Argentine (and indeed non-Brazilian) semifinalists in this year's Copa Libertadores, after they beat Talleres pretty comfortably over two legs and Estudiantes got hit by the mother of all sucker punches from Athletico Paranaense.

Hand Of Pod 2022

Episode 436: Vélez are the last Argentines standing in the Libertadores

It's a new year on Hand Of Pod, and Sam, English Dan and Andrés are here to preview the 2023 domestic season for you, as we come down from the high of Argentina's World Cup win last month. Boca Juniors, Racing and River Plate have probably had the best transfer windows, but who else should we look out for? And what's the relegation struggle going to look like this year?

Hand Of Pod 2023

Episode 448: Previewing the 2023 Liga Profesional season

This week, Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on the first weekend of action in the 2023 Liga Profesional season and discuss Enzo Fernández's big-money transfer to Chelsea (including what it means for River Plate's finances). When we started, it didn't feel like there'd be much to say, but we managed somehow ...

Episode 449: The 2023 season is underway

This week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on the second round of action in the Liga Profesional, which saw a remarkable coincidence: Pablo Vegetti, who was the first person to score against Marcelo Gallardo's River Plate back in 2014, became the first person to score against Martín Demichelis's River Plate, as Belgrano beat River 2–1 in Córdoba. Lanús are among the early leaders as their attempt to escape relegation gets off to a promising start, and the match we told you not to watch on episode 449 saw one goal that was disallowed, eight that were allowed and a red card. Just in case you were starting to think we sound like people who know what we're talking about after 450 episodes ...

Episode 450: River's good luck charm? Pablo Vegetti strikes again

The hundred-and-forty-second episode of Hand Of Pod sees Sam, Peter and Andrés begin with an in-depth consideration (much more in-depth, we'd be prepared to bet, than the AFA gave it) of the Argentine Football Association's decision this week to expand the top flight to thirty teams and change the entire league structure as from next February. What it means for the top flight, what the second half of 2014 in Argentine football will look like, why it's been done and how many people are happy about it (just the one, and you can guess his name), among other subjects. We then get on to the football from last weekend, in which Argentinos Juniors were relegated, Gimnasia La Plata took a two point lead at the top of the Torneo Final, Boca Juniors looked impressive and there were some fine goals scored. Oh, and down in the second division, Independiente won a match!

Episode 142: Crazy league restructuring from the AFA, Gimnasia go top & Argentinos are down

This week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on a weekend that saw River Plate held to a draw that still allowed them to extend their lead at the top of the league thanks to a shock defeat for San Lorenzo earlier in the round. Boca Juniors actually played well for once, Argentina (and England) are out of the Under-20 World Cup ... but most importantly of all, José Sand broke his own record as the oldest player to score in Argentina's top flight through a stoppage time penalty for Lanús against Independiente at the age of 42 years, 10 months and 10 days.

Episode 462: José Sand extends his record

(This week's episode is a little delayed being uploaded, but while River Plate have played since we recorded, they're still not champions yet: they drew with San Lorenzo on Saturday, meaning they'll only take the title if Talleres lose on Monday.) In this episode Sam, Andrés and Dan discuss them reaching the brink of the title, Racing continuing to disappoint (and bidding farewell to Paolo Guerrero) and much more.

Episode 466: River on the brink of the title

This week Sam, English Dan and Andrés can't quite give you the confirmation that River Plate have won the title, but Martín Demichelis's men are now nine points clear with nine to play for, so it doesn't seem like it'll be much longer. We also discuss Lionel Messi's first day at Inter Miami, the Copa Sudamericana playoffs beginning and more.

Episode 467: River edge closer and the Sudamericana playoffs begin

This week Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on a weekend that saw plenty of goals in the Liga Profesional, including a first domestic home defeat of the year for San Lorenzo and a 3–3 draw in Rosario. We also review Argentina's agonising 1–0 defeat to Italy in their opening match of the Women's World Cup (followed up with a 2–2 draw against South Africa shortly after we recorded this episode) and Lionel Messi's first couple of appearances for Inter Miami (or what we've seen of them, which isn't much).

Episode 469: plenty of league goals, and Argentina's women lose their World Cup opener

We've got plenty to get through this week: Sam, English Dan and Andrés review the 2023 Liga Profesional campaign and decide on the best players who weren't playing for River, look at the biggest transfer stories of the winter so far including Edinson Cavani finally signing for Boca and River bringing Manuel Lanzini home, lament Argentina's frustration at the Women's World Cup and marvel at the continuing tactical bravery of North American club sides in their stalwart refusal to bother even trying to mark the best attacker of all time when he gets near the box.

Episode 470: Reviewing the 2023 Liga Profesional campaign

It's a short episode this week, with Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Chris reviewing the Copa Libertadores exits of River Plate and Argentinos Juniors and the qualifications of Boca Juniors and Racing. The latter two will meet each other in the quarter-finals, which start next week.

Episode 471: Two Argentine teams left standing in the Libertadores

The Copa de la Liga got underway last weekend, but because Sam's phone app lied to him a couple of weeks ago about when it would be, we'd already penned this week in to record the preview episode, so here it is. Recorded along with Chris, Andrés and English Dan. We also look back on the first leg of Boca Juniors v Racing in the Libertadores quarter-finals, among other things. This will be the last regular episode for a little while, as Sam's off on a trip, but regular (much shorter) episodes will be going online during his time away for Patreon fans over at patreon.com/handofpod.

Episode 472: Previewing the 2023 Copa de la Liga

First, sorry for the poor sound in this episode. Second, sorry for the fact that Sam had to scat the theme tune. In the middle of Sam's holiday, we have a catch-up episode in which he, Dan and Andrés review the recent round of clásicos and the Copa de la Liga group stage so far and take a look at how the early qualifying stages of Argentina's World Cup defence are going.

Episode 473: a post-clásico, mid-trip roundup

We're back! Sam's returned from Europe, and Dan, Andrés and Chris fill him in on the main points of everything he's missed during the Copa de la Liga group stage. We also discuss the Copa Libertadores final (which Sam did watch), in which Boca Juniors lost to Fluminense, and preview Argentina's two upcoming World Cup qualifiers at home to Uruguay on Thursday and away to Brazil on Tuesday.

Episode 474: previewing Argentina v Uruguay and Brazil v Argentina

This week Sam, Dan, Chris and Andrés discuss a mixed international break for the Argentine national team, as their perfect start to World Cup 2026 qualifying came to an end with a loss to Uruguay on Thursday but they followed up by handing Brazil their first ever home defeat in WCQs on Tuesday night. After that match Lionel Scaloni hinted he might not hang around much longer, and we also consider some of the possible reasons behind that statement.

Episode 475: Argentina lose to Uruguay but beat Brazil – again

This week Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Chris look back on the final weekend of the Copa de la Liga group stage action and Colón's loss to Gimnasia on Friday evening in the relegation tie-breaker. There's also a lower division update and some chat about Boca Juniors' presidential election, which currently looks unlikely to happen.

Episode 476: Copa de la Liga group stage ends, and Colón go down

This week Sam, English Dan and Chris review last weekend's Copa de la Liga quarterfinals, which saw three ties decided by shootouts. We also discuss Riestra's promotion to the top flight and the ongoing court wrangling that continues to delay Boca Juniors' presidential elections.

Episode 477: the Copa de la Liga quarterfinals and more Boca electoral nonsense

This week's episode is our last one of 2023, and Sam, English Dan and Andrés meet to discuss the Copa de la Liga semis and final, which saw Rosario Central emerge victorious, and the Copa Argentina, which was won by Estudiantes. Boca Juniors have finally held their elections, as have Tigre, San Lorenzo and Colón, and Sam is worried about whether he'll be older than every player in the top flight when the 2024 season kicks off.

Episode 478: wrapping up the 2023 Copa de la Liga and Copa Argentina

This week Sam, English Dan, Andrés, Chris and Tony preview the Copa de la Liga, which kicked off moments before we started to record. We take a look at the main moves in the transfer market, tell you the acceptable ways to shorten club names (and how to tell all the Central Córdobas apart), ask whether Argentina's Under-23s are rubbish or not and answer some listeners' questions.

Hand Of Pod 2024

Episode 479: previewing the 2024 Copa de la Liga

This week Sam, Andrés, Dan and Santi bid farewell to Tony, who's hosting us as he appears on his final episode (at least as a regular panelist). We discuss the opening two rounds of the Copa de la Liga, which included two wins from two matches for Santi's team Independiente, who had a chaotic/hilarious/mysterious story in preseason that we forgot to tell you about last week.

Episode 480: Independiente's perfect start ... after a less than perfect preseason

This week Sam, Dan and Andrés discuss a long 'weekend' of Copa de la Liga action that saw two thrashings, one fine turnaround and not an awful lot more excitement. There's also chat about Franco Mastantuono, who on Wednesday broke Javier Saviola's record as River Plate's youngest ever goalscorer, and an update on how the Olympic qualifying competition is going.

Episode 481: the Copa de la Liga continues

This week we look at two rounds of Copa de la Liga action that saw Racing score eight and concede only one, River have a good game and a bad one, and Vélez Sarsfield win late on not once but twice. And Javier Mascherano's quest for a third Olympic gold medal is still alive, because Argentina Under-23s have qualified for the football tournament at Paris 2024.

Episode 482: a great week for Racing and Argentina's Under-23s

This week's episode follows one that we recorded last week and that, due to a combination of tiredness and busyness, Sam never uploaded. You'll be able to hear it if you head over to patreon.com/handofpod. Here, though, Sam, Chris and Andrés review last weekend's clásicos, which saw a draw between River and Boca, away wins in Rosario and Avellaneda and plenty more besides.

Episode 483: Reviewing the clásico weekend

This week Sam, Dan and Andrés round up the last couple of rounds of Copa de la Liga action, which saw Godoy Cruz lose for the first time (domestically) this year, leaving River Plate – who ended a run of four straight draws by beating Independiente Rivadavia on Wednesday – as the last unbeaten side in the competition. Boca Juniors aren't much good, Carlos Tevez is a conspiracy theorist and we have a short roundup of the lower leagues so far, now that they've mostly kicked off.

Episode 484: Godoy Cruz finally lose and a lower-league roundup

This week Sam, English Dan, Chris, Andrés and Santi look back on a Copa de la Liga weekend that saw an awful lot of draws, including one between Independiente and River Plate that gives us a chance to discuss both managers' 2024s so far. Wednesday evening saw River claim another (minor) trophy, and we also discuss national team news, including new kits and Lionel Scaloni's decision to call up Lisandro Martínez even though he's not back from injury yet.

Episode 485: Delusional Demichelis and tactical Tevez

This week's pod was delayed by two days due to rain, so Sam, English Dan, Andrés, Chris and Santi met up on Friday evening to talk about last weekend's Copa de la Liga matches – including a win for River Plate, defeat for Independiente and not much else of real note – and to have a look at Argentina's squad for their friendlies against El Salvador (played right after we finished recording) and Costa Rica, as well as the Copa Libertadores group stage draw.

Episode 486: The Copa de la Liga takes a week off

This week Sam, English Dan, Andrés and Santi look back on Argentina's two comfortable friendly wins over El Salvador and Costa Rica in the United States, which included Alejandro Garnacho's first start – a performance Sam has some thoughts about. There have been a bunch of Copa Argentina games since we last recorded, and listeners' questions include who's playing in this year's edition and how the very bottom league of the pyramid has gone so far.

Episode 487: Garnacho's first Argentina start and more

The Copa de la Liga group stage ends this weeke— well, in the first half of next week, actually, and Sam, English Dan, Santi and Chris are here to run down which teams need which results to make it into the quarterfinals, with only runaway Group B winners Godoy Cruz already knowing which position they'll finish in. We also look at the first couple of rounds of Copa Libertadores group games and have a bumper postbag of listeners' questions.

Episode 488: previewing the last round of Copa de la Liga group games

This week Sam, English Dan and Chris review an entertaining end to Group B in the Copa de la Liga and a really thrilling climax to Group A. They also look ahead to this weekend's quarterfinals, which include a superclásico between Group A winners River Plate and Group B fourth-placers Boca Juniors on Sunday.

Episode 489: The Copa de la Liga quarterfinals are upon us

This week Sam, English Dan and Chris look back over last weekend's Copa de la Liga quarterfinals and forward to Sunday and Tuesday's semifinals as the first 'half' of the Argentine season nears an end.

Episode 490: who's into the Copa de la Liga semis?

The internet's longest-running English-language Argentine football podcast, fueled by fernet since November 2010. Presented by Sam Kelly, with a rotating cast of friends.

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