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

This week Sam, English Dan and Santi look back on not one but two weeks of Liga Profesional action, with Atlético Tucumán still leading the way, Gimnasia giving chase and River Plate looking like they'd sparked into life before falling back to Earth again against Arsenal. There's also a look at the possible structure of the top flight during 2023, which is set to be discussed in an AFA board meeting on Friday morning.

Episode 437: Atlético Tucumán still lead, and a peek at the 2023 league structure

This week, Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back at last weekend's matches – which included a 4–0 win with two golazos included for league leaders Atlético Tucumán – and ask how much sense it really makes for the AFA to (reportedly) be considering remodelling Mar Del Plata's Estadio José María Minella to use as a home ground for the national team.

Episode 438: A goal from 70 metres and a new home stadium for Argentina?

This week Sam and Santi look back on both Copa Libertadores semi-finals, one of which was rather more dramatic and closely fought than the other, and preview Sunday's superclásico at the Bombonera. We also discuss a tightening title race, as Atlético Tucumán have picked up just one point from two games since we last recorded, allowing Gimnasia to go dead level with them at the top of the table.

Episode 439: Libertadores semi-final review and superclásico preview

This week Sam and English Dan look back on Atlético Tucumán once again rising to the challenge of maintaining their league leadership, wonder which players have made a case for inclusion in Lionel Scaloni's World Cup squad during Argentina's 3–0 wins over Honduras and Jamaica, and review the Copa Argentina quarter-finals, which we didn't want to turn into just talking about River and Boca's matches ... but which did anyway because those two were really good and the other two frankly weren't.

Episode 441: Two more wins for Argentina, and reviewing the Copa Argentina quarter-finals

Atlético Tucumán remain top of the league by the skin of their teeth: this week Sam and Dan review two rounds of matches in which the leaders lost one and won one, but currently sit atop the table due to Gimnasia v Boca, which kicked off just after we finished recording, having to be called off due to heavy-handed policing (seemingly after too many tickets were sold). We look back on bucketloads of goals in Racing's matches and give an explanation of the relegation system for anyone who's joined us in the last couple of years (i.e. since it was last used).

Episode 442: Atlético Tucumán STILL lead the race ... just about

This week Sam, English Dan, Santi and Andrés gather to discuss three rounds of Liga Profesional action and preview Sunday's two title-deciding Big Five clásicos – will Boca Juniors lift the trophy as expected, or can Independiente get a result in the Bombonera which could put Racing's title hopes in their own hands as they host River Plate? We also look at the Independiente presidential elections of a couple of weeks ago with Santi's wisdom, and discuss the news that Marcelo Gallardo is stepping down as River manager.

Episode 443: Previewing the last weekend of the 2022 Liga Profesional

In the final CLUB football HOP of 2022, Sam, English Dan and Andrés look back on two weeks that have seen Boca Juniors clinch the league title after a deciding day on which neither of the title contenders managed to win and, far more historically, Patronato de la Juventud Católica become the first non-directly affiliated club in Argentine football history to win a top-level national trophy by beating Talleres in the Copa Argentina final, meaning they'll play in the 2023 Copa Libertadores from the second division.

Episode 444: ¡Boca campeón! and far more surprisingly, ¡Patronato campeón!

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

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.

New tracks tagged #Liga Profesional de Fútbol