# 2019–20 Defensa y Justicia season

The 2019–20 season is Defensa y Justicia's 7th consecutive season in the top division of Argentine football. In addition to the Primera División, the club are competing in the Copa Argentina, Copa de la Superliga and Copa Libertadores.
The season generally covers the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

## Review
### Pre-season

Before welcoming any new faces, Defensa y Justicia said goodbye to three players in the early months. Lisandro Martínez's transfer to Eredivisie side Ajax was announced on 20 May 2019, while Leonel Miranda switched Argentina for Mexico by signing for Tijuana and Ciro Rius left across the Primera División to Rosario Central in early June. José Luis Fernández was their next departure, as he joined Atlético Tucumán on 17 June. Jonás Gutiérrez departed to Banfield on 19 June. Three incomings came on 24 June, with Marcelo Herrera, Gonzalo Piovi and Juan Rodríguez moving from Belgrano, Racing Club and Fénix - while Daniel González went to Dorados de Sinaloa. Héctor Martínez, from River Plate, was loaned on 27 June. A day after, Rafael Barrios left for San Martín.
Defensa y Justicia defeated Defensores de Belgrano 2–0 on 29 June in a pre-season friendly, with the goals coming from Alexis Castro and Nicolás Fernández. They met in a second match straight after, with Héctor Martínez scoring his first goal in a 1–0 win. A number of players who were out on loan in 2018–19 officially returned to Defensa on 30 June 2019, with the ones loaned in doing likewise. Maximiliano Caire was signed by Gimnasia y Esgrima on 1 July, on the same day as Guido Mainero completed a loan move in from Vélez Sarsfield. Hours later, Nicolás Maná was snapped up; having spent the prior months unattached after leaving Greek team Panetolikos. Defensa captured Enzo Coacci from Olimpo on 2 July. Fernando Barrientos went back to Lanús soon after.
Hugo Silva moved to Estudiantes (BA) of Primera B Nacional on 1 July. Defensa remained unbeaten in pre-season on 3 July, after beating and drawing with Huracán at the Estadio Norberto "Tito" Tomaghello. Diego Mat. Rodríguez went to promoted Central Córdoba on 5 July, as Leonardo Villalba did on 12 July. Fernando Pellegrino rejoined Huracán on loan on 5 July, having returned from the same transaction on 30 June. Defensa drew back-to-back with Chacarita Juniors in friendlies on 6 July. Paraguayan youngster Braian Ojeda was loaned from Olimpia on 12 July. Newell's Old Boys were fought in exhibition matches on 13 July, with Defensa coming away without goals or a victory; drawing and losing games at the Predio Áreas Grandes in Florencio Varela.
Talleres, of Remedios de Escalada, clinched the loan signing of Matías Sosa on 17 July. Gonzalo Arrieta departed to Flandria on 19 July. Defensa revealed their squad numbers for 2019–20 on 19 July.

### July

Marcelo Herrera scored in Defensa y Justicia's opening competitive fixture of 2019–20, as he netted to take a Copa Argentina encounter with Gimnasia y Esgrima to penalties; which Defensa won, though Herrera was sent off early in the second half. Raúl Loaiza, who was on loan to San Lorenzo last season, joined Defensa permanently from Atlético Nacional on 25 July. After the arrival of Ojeda, a second Paraguayan in Aldo Maiz entered the ranks from General Díaz on 27 July. Defensa suffered a loss to Independiente on the opening day in the league on 28 July.

### August

On 1 August, Neri Cardozo was signed by Mariano Soso from Racing Club. Soon after, Juan Martín Lucero and Diego Mar. Rodríguez agreed contracts with Defensa from Liga MX's Tijuana. That date also saw Lucas Villarruel leave for Newell's Old Boys. Defensa made it two defeats from two Primera División fixtures on 4 August, losing on the road against Unión Santa Fe. Defensa's poor start to the competitive season continued on 18 August, as Arsenal de Sarandí scored three unanswered goals in the league at the Estadio Norberto "Tito" Tomaghello. Defensa met fellow winless club Gimnasia y Esgrima on 24 August, with Defensa coming away with their first victory after Rafael Delgado's strike in the second half. Defensa's first draw came on 30 August - versus Banfield.

## Squad

| Squad No. | Nationality | Name | Position(s) | Date of Birth (age) | Signed from |
| Goalkeepers ||||||
| 17 | | Nicolás Avellaneda | GK | (1993-02-23) 23 February 1993 (age 31) | Lanús (loan) |
| 22 | | Ezequiel Unsain | GK | (1995-03-09) 9 March 1995 (age 29) | Newell's Old Boys |
| | | Lucio Chiappero | GK | (1994-05-26) 26 May 1994 (age 30) | Academy |
| Defenders ||||||
| 2 | | Adonis Frías | CB | (1998-03-17) 17 March 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| 3 | | Marcelo Benítez | DF | (1991-01-13) 13 January 1991 (age 33) | Academy |
| 4 | | Julio González | RB | (1992-06-28) 28 June 1992 (age 32) | General Díaz |
| 14 | | Marcelo Herrera | CB | (1992-02-26) 26 February 1992 (age 32) | Belgrano |
| 16 | | Gonzalo Piovi | LB | (1994-09-08) 8 September 1994 (age 30) | Racing Club |
| 19 | | Nicolás Tripichio | RB | (1996-01-05) 5 January 1996 (age 28) | Vélez Sarsfield |
| 21 | | Héctor Martínez | CB | (1998-01-21) 21 January 1998 (age 26) | River Plate (loan) |
| 28 | | Juan Rodríguez | CB | (1994-02-28) 28 February 1994 (age 30) | Fénix |
| 33 | | Rafael Delgado | LB | (1990-01-13) 13 January 1990 (age 34) | Estudiantes |
| | | Leonardo Marchi | DF | (1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 28) | Academy |
| | | Santiago Zurbriggen | RB | (1990-02-27) 27 February 1990 (age 34) | Lanús |
| Midfielders ||||||
| 5 | | Neri Cardozo | LM | (1986-08-08) 8 August 1986 (age 38) | Racing Club |
| 7 | | Bautista Merlini | LM | (1995-07-04) 4 July 1995 (age 29) | San Lorenzo (loan) |
| 8 | | Guido Mainero | RM | (1995-03-23) 23 March 1995 (age 29) | Vélez Sarsfield (loan) |
| 11 | | Alexis Castro | LM | (1994-10-18) 18 October 1994 (age 29) | San Lorenzo (loan) |
| 15 | | Diego Mar. Rodríguez | DM | (1989-09-04) 4 September 1989 (age 35) | Tijuana |
| 18 | | Francisco Cerro | LM | (1988-02-09) 9 February 1988 (age 36) | Rayo Vallecano |
| 26 | | Braian Ojeda | CM | (2000-06-27) 27 June 2000 (age 24) | Olimpia (loan) |
| 27 | | Enzo Coacci | MF | (1998-08-09) 9 August 1998 (age 26) | Olimpo |
| 30 | | Raúl Loaiza | DM | (1994-06-08) 8 June 1994 (age 30) | Atlético Nacional |
| | | Ignacio González | LM | (1993-11-05) 5 November 1993 (age 30) | Danubio |
| | | Aldo Maiz | MF | (2000-08-27) 27 August 2000 (age 24) | General Díaz |
| | | Tomás Ortiz | MF | (2000-03-10) 10 March 2000 (age 24) | Academy |
| | | Lautaro Quiroz | MF | (1998-07-03) 3 July 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| Forwards ||||||
| 9 | | Fernando Márquez | CF | (1987-12-10) 10 December 1987 (age 36) | Johor Darul Ta'zim (loan) |
| 29 | | Nicolás Fernández | LW | (1996-02-08) 8 February 1996 (age 28) | Academy |
| 31 | | Nicolás Maná | RW | (1994-03-25) 25 March 1994 (age 30) | Panetolikos |
| 32 | | Ignacio Aliseda | LW | (2000-03-14) 14 March 2000 (age 24) | Academy |
| | | Juan Martín Lucero | CF | (1991-11-30) 30 November 1991 (age 32) | Tijuana |
| | | Ricardo Ramírez | FW | (1999-04-27) 27 April 1999 (age 25) | Academy |
| Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Loaned to |
| | | Eugenio Isnaldo | LW | (1994-01-07) 7 January 1994 (age 30) | Unión La Calera |
| | | Fernando Pellegrino | GK | (1986-03-31) 31 March 1986 (age 38) | Huracán (loan) |
| | | Matías Sosa | AM | (1995-07-06) 6 July 1995 (age 29) | Talleres (RE) |

## Transfers

Domestic transfer windows: 3 July 2019 to 24 September 2019 20 January 2020 to 19 February 2020.

### Transfers in

| Date from | Position | Name | From |
| 1 July 2019 | RW | Nicolás Maná | Unattached |
| 3 July 2019 | CB | Marcelo Herrera | Belgrano |
| 3 July 2019 | LB | Gonzalo Piovi | Racing Club |
| 3 July 2019 | CB | Juan Rodríguez | Fénix |
| 3 July 2019 | MF | Enzo Coacci | Olimpo |
| 25 July 2019 | DM | Raúl Loaiza | Atlético Nacional |
| 27 July 2019 | MF | Aldo Maiz | General Díaz |
| 1 August 2019 | LM | Neri Cardozo | Racing Club |
| 1 August 2019 | CF | Juan Martín Lucero | Tijuana |
| 1 August 2019 | DM | Diego Mar. Rodríguez | Tijuana |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To |
| 14 June 2019 | CM | Leonel Miranda | Tijuana |
| 24 June 2019 | LM | Daniel González | Dorados de Sinaloa |
| 1 July 2019 | CB | Lisandro Martínez | Ajax |
| 3 July 2019 | RW | Ciro Rius | Rosario Central |
| 3 July 2019 | LM | José Luis Fernández | Atlético Tucumán |
| 3 July 2019 | LM | Jonás Gutiérrez | Banfield |
| 3 July 2019 | RB | Rafael Barrios | San Martín |
| 3 July 2019 | RB | Maximiliano Caire | Gimnasia y Esgrima |
| 3 July 2019 | CB | Hugo Silva | Estudiantes (BA) |
| 5 July 2019 | MF | Diego Mat. Rodríguez | Central Córdoba |
| 12 July 2019 | RW | Leonardo Villalba | Central Córdoba |
| 19 July 2019 | CB | Gonzalo Arrieta | Flandria |
| 1 August 2019 | DM | Lucas Villarruel | Newell's Old Boys |

### Loans in

| Start date | Position | Name | From | End date |
| 3 July 2019 | CB | Héctor Martínez | River Plate | 30 June 2020 |
| 3 July 2019 | RM | Guido Mainero | Vélez Sarsfield | 30 June 2020 |
| 12 July 2019 | CM | Braian Ojeda | Olimpia | 30 June 2020 |

### Loans out

| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
| 5 July 2019 | GK | | Fernando Pellegrino | Huracán | 30 June 2020 | |
| 17 July 2019 | AM | | Matías Sosa | Talleres (RE) | 30 June 2020 | |

## Friendlies
### Pre-season

Defensa y Justicia's first opponent of pre-season was revealed on 20 June, as Primera B Nacional side Chacarita Juniors scheduled an exhibition match with them for 6 July. A five-match announcement, including games versus Defensores de Belgrano and Temperley, was made by the club on 27 June; though the Temperley meeting was later cancelled.
Win  Draw  Loss

### Mid-season

A friendly was announced, on 24 June, with newly-promoted tier two team Atlanta. A third encounter versus Atlético Tucumán was also set. Aldosivi revealed an exhibition match with them on 4 September.
Win  Draw  Loss

## Competitions
### Primera División
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 4 | Racing | 23 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 28 | 23 | +5 | 39 |
| 5 | Argentinos Juniors | 23 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 22 | 17 | +5 | 39 |
| 6 | Defensa y Justicia | 23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 36 |
| 7 | Lanús | 23 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 32 | 29 | +3 | 36 |
| 8 | San Lorenzo | 23 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 36 |

#### Relegation table

| Pos | Team | 2017–18 Pts | 2018–19 Pts | 2019–20 Pts | Total Pts | Total Pld | Avg |
| 2 | Racing | 45 | 57 | 6 | 108 | 57 | 1.895 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 1.8 |
| 4 | Defensa y Justicia | 44 | 53 | 4 | 101 | 57 | 1.772 |
| 5 | River Plate | 45 | 45 | 8 | 98 | 57 | 1.719 |
| 6 | Independiente | 46 | 38 | 6 | 90 | 56 | 1.607 |
Source: AFA

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 31 August 2019. Source: Soccerway

#### Matches

The fixtures for the 2019–20 campaign were released on 10 July.
Win  Draw  Loss

### Copa Argentina

La Plata's Gimnasia y Esgrima were drawn to face Defensa y Justicia in the Copa Argentina, at the neutral venue of the Estadio Alfredo Beranger in Turdera; all matches in the competition are played neutrally.
Win  Draw  Loss

### Copa de la Superliga

Win  Draw  Loss

### Copa Libertadores

Win  Draw  Loss

## Squad statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos. | Nationality | Name | League | League | Cup | Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Continental | Continental | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline | Ref |
| No. | Pos. | Nationality | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | | Ref |
| 2 | CB | | Adonis Frías | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 3 | DF | | Marcelo Benítez | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 4 | RB | | Julio González | 4 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 5 | LM | | Neri Cardozo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | LM | | Bautista Merlini | 0(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 8 | RM | | Guido Mainero | 1(2) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(3) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 9 | CF | | Fernando Márquez | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | LM | | Alexis Castro | 2(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(3) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 14 | CB | | Marcelo Herrera | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 15 | DM | | Diego Mar. Rodríguez | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 16 | LB | | Gonzalo Piovi | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 17 | GK | | Nicolás Avellaneda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | LM | | Francisco Cerro | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | RB | | Nicolás Tripichio | 1(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | CB | | Héctor Martínez | 2(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 22 | GK | | Ezequiel Unsain | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 26 | CM | | Braian Ojeda | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 27 | MF | | Enzo Coacci | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28 | CB | | Juan Rodríguez | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 29 | LW | | Nicolás Fernández | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 30 | DM | | Raúl Loaiza | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 31 | RW | | Nicolás Maná | 2(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 32 | LW | | Ignacio Aliseda | 2(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 33 | LB | | Rafael Delgado | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| – | GK | | Lucio Chiappero | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | LM | | Ignacio González | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | LW | | Eugenio Isnaldo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | CF | | Juan Martín Lucero | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | MF | | Aldo Maiz | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | DF | | Leonardo Marchi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | MF | | Tomás Ortiz | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | GK | | Fernando Pellegrino | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | MF | | Lautaro Quiroz | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | FW | | Ricardo Ramírez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | AM | | Matías Sosa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | RB | | Santiago Zurbriggen | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | — | — |
| Players who left during the season |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | DM | | Lucas Villarruel | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Statistics accurate as of 31 August 2019.

### Goalscorers

| Rank | Pos | No. | Nat | Name | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | Ref |
| 1 | CB | 14 | | Marcelo Herrera | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | CF | 9 | | Fernando Márquez | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | LB | 33 | | Rafael Delgado | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | — |