Episode 399: The Copa de la Liga enters the knockout stage

This week’s HOP was meant to be a quick affair but ended up being a full-length episode, as Sam and Santi looked back on the final weekend of group stage action in the Copa de la Liga, look forward to this weekend’s quarter-finals, including the third superclásico of the year as Boca Juniors host River Plate on Sunday afternoon, and round up the Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana action.

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Hand Of Pod · Episode 399: The Copa de la Liga enters the knockout stage

Episode 360: Reviewing the Libertadores semi-finals

On this week’s Hand Of Pod, Sam and Andrés look back on the Copa Libertadores semi-final second legs, reviewing River Plate’s progression in spite of defeat against Boca Juniors and Flamengo’s crushing win over Grêmio. They ask whether the final will be as one sided as this week’s two matches appear to suggest. And Mystic Sam predicts not one but two rounds of the Superliga.

Want to watch the Superliga and Copa Argentina? Take advantage of a seven-day free trial followed by a 20% discount for your first three months with Fanatiz by following this link and using the discount code hopfz when you sign up!

You can follow HOP in various ways. We have a Facebook page, and a Twitter page. You can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn. And if you’d like to help support the pod financially, you can find us on Patreon.

Episode 359: thrashing Ecuador, and previewing the superclásico (again!)

In this week’s Hand Of Pod, Sam, English Dan and Andrés review Argentina’s 6-1 tonking of Ecuador in Elche, and cast their eye over the players who might have won themselves consideration by Lionel Scaloni when more meaningful fixtures come around. We also take a look at the latest Primera Femenina results, and preview next week’s Copa Libertadores semi-final second leg between Boca Juniors and River Plate.

Want to watch the Superliga and Copa Argentina? Take advantage of a seven-day free trial followed by a 20% discount for your first three months with Fanatiz by following this link and using the discount code hopfz when you sign up!

You can follow HOP in various ways. We have a Facebook page, and a Twitter page. You can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or TuneIn. And if you’d like to help support the pod financially, you can find us on Patreon.

Episode 313: Reviewing the superclásico, and more wins for Racing and Aldosivi

In episode three hundred and thirteen of Hand Of Pod, Sam is joined by Andrés and English Dan to discuss River Plate’s 2-0 win over Boca Juniors in Sunday’s superclásico, as well as yet another win for Racing, who remain top of the league, and more success for Aldosivi, who are enjoying a fine start to life back in the top flight.

You can follow HOP in various ways. We have a Facebook page, for example, and we’re on Twitter as well. You can subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher or TuneIn. And if you’d like to help support the pod financially, you can find us on Patreon.

Last week, Mystic WaywardfromHayward thrashed Mystic Sam, 7-4. This week, two listeners sent predictions in, so they’re playing each other, and Mystic Sam is taking the week off. They’ve largely duplicated each others’ picks, so this might not be a thrilling matchup. As Liam says, by the way, Rosario Central v San Martín de San Juan is postponed.

Mystic Lee
Independiente v Tigre
Lanús v River
San Lorenzo v Atlético Tucumán
Central P-P San Martín (SJ)
Estudiantes v Newell’s
Argentinos v Racing
Patronato v Talleres
Unión v Gimnasia
Belgrano v Huracán
Boca v Colón
Godoy Cruz v Defensa y Justicia
Vélez v Aldosivi
San Martín (T) v Banfield

Mystic Liam
Independiente v Tigre
Lanús v River
San Lorenzo v Atlético Tucumán
Central P-P San Martín (SJ)
Estudiantes v Newell’s
Argentinos v Racing
Patronato v Talleres
Unión v Gimnasia
Belgrano v Huracán
Boca v Colón
Godoy Cruz v Defensa y Justicia
Vélez v Aldosivi
San Martín (T) v Banfield

Episode 182: Previewing three superclásicos and catching up on other bits and pieces

In the hundred and eight-first episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam, Andrés and Joel are joined by new boy – and Boca Juniors fan – Julian in an exciting week in Buenos Aires, as we gear up to watch three clashes between River Plate and Boca Juniors in just eleven days; two in the Copa Libertadores last 16, and first of all one in the league this Sunday. We discuss how both sides have come to be sitting joint first after ten matches, how recent superclásicos have gone and what we expect in the upcoming clashes – as well as why the choice of referees, especially for Sunday’s encounter, has caused such a big fuss. Prior to that, we have a round-up of the other recent action in Argentina, including a Copa Argentina catch-up and a look at the other sides in the Copa Libertadores knockout stages, because apparently there are some. HOP is sponsored by Argentina Independent, a fine English-language source of news from Argentina and across Latin America.

You can subscribe to us on iTunes or Stitcher, and follow us on Twitter.

Mystic Sam’s eleventh round predictions (round ten: 6/15)
Godoy Cruz v Sarmiento
Olimpo v Estudiantes
Argentinos v Aldosivi
Gimnasia v Newell’s
San Lorenzo v Vélez
Racing v Lanús
Central v Huracán
Atlético de Rafaela v Defensa y Justicia
Banfield v Independiente
Tigre v Chicago
Boca v River
Unión v Belgrano
Arsenal v Quilmes
Crucero v Colón
Temperley v San Martín

Episode 167: Between superclásicos, a failed gamble by River, Racing go top and more

The hundred and sixty-seventh episode of Hand Of Pod is the first to fall neatly between two superclásicos, and Sam is joined by Andrés, Gustavo and Asli (and her canine companion Vinicius) to look back on last Thursday night’s disappointingly dull 0-0 in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana semi-final, and forward to this Thursday’s return leg between River Plate and Boca Juniors. At the weekend, River took a gamble with their team selection against Racing in the league, and it backfired – Racing snatched a 1-0 win to go top of the table with two games remaining. There were surprising wins away from home for Godoy Cruz and Arsenal de Sarandí, some promotions to next year’s top flight have been clinched, and there was a barra brava turf battle in the cafeteria of River’s stadium. We also give you the clearest idea we possibly can of what the 2015 Primera División is going to look like, because that seems to have been confirmed now (though further developments would surprise none of us).

As ever, Mystic Sam’s previews for this weekend’s matches are below. You can subscribe to us on iTunes or Stitcher, and follow us on Twitter.

Mystic Sam’s eighteenth round predictions
DyJ v Vélez
Gimnasia v Quilmes
San Lorenzo v Estudiantes
Independiente v Newell’s
Tigre v Atlético de Rafaela
River v Banfield
Lanús v Boca
Central v Racing
Godoy Cruz v Olimpo
Arsenal v Belgrano

Episode 166: Points dropped at the top, and a season-defining few days ahead for River Plate

In the hundred and sixty-sixth episode of Hand Of Pod, Sam is joined by English Dan for an afternoon espresso and a chat about an interesting week past and a thrilling one to come. We begin with some discussion of the latest declarations from the AFA, which shed a little (but just a little) light on how the Primera will look in 2015, but which fail to answer all the pertinent questions. After that, we move on to a quick review of last weekend’s top flight action, which saw River Plate and Lanús both drop points, allowing Racing and Independiente to gain ground. We then consider the coming week, with the Copa Argentina semi-finals to be played shortly after this episode goes online on Wednesday, followed on Thursday by the first leg of an epic Copa Sudamericana semi-final between Boca Juniors and River – sandwiched between which, league leaders River also visit second-placed Racing. These are going to be days which will define River’s campaign, so enjoy this episode while it’s relevant!

As ever, Mystic Sam’s previews for this weekend’s matches are below. You can subscribe to us on iTunes or Stitcher, and follow us on Twitter.

Mystic Sam’s seventeenth round predictions
Banfield v Quilmes
Atlético de Rafaela v San Lorenzo
Olimpo v Central
Vélez v Godoy Cruz
Lanús v Gimnasia
Estudiantes v Defensa y Justicia
Belgrano v Tigre
Boca v Independiente
Racing v River
Newell’s v Arsenal