# 2019–20 Arsenal de Sarandí season

The 2019–20 season is Arsenal de Sarandí's 1st season back in the top division of Argentine football, after promotion from Primera B Nacional. In addition to the Primera División, the club are competing in the Copa Argentina and Copa de la Superliga.
The season generally covers the period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

## Review
### Pre-season

Ramiro López and Sebastián Lomonaco were the first players revealed to be leaving Arsenal de Sarandí at the start of 2019–20, as they agreed moves in June 2019 to Barracas Central and Godoy Cruz respectively. On 13 June, the club announced that Mauricio Aquino's contract would not be renewed; he soon went to Colegiales. A day later, Arsenal completed their first signing after agreeing terms with Lucas Piovi, who would join from Almagro. Juan Cruz Kaprof (Atlético Tucumán) and Ezequiel Rescaldani (Patronato) joined on 21 June. Daniel Sappa, a 'keeper from Estudiantes (LP), was loaned on 24 June; a clause, which would allow him to return to them after six months, was inserted. 24 June also saw Lautaro Parisi loaned from Primera B Nacional's Guillermo Brown.
Loaned players returned home on 30 June. On 1 July, having trained with the team, Nicolás Giménez (Talleres) and Franco Sbuttoni (Atlético Tucumán) signed for Arsenal. A planned pre-season friendly with Racing Club was cancelled on 2 July, with Talleres replacing the Avellaneda club. They met Banfield for their first pre-season match on 3 July, though would lose after conceding three unanswered goals at the Estadio Florencio Sola. A secondary match-up that day ended scoreless. Ryduan Palermo mutually terminated his contract on 4 July. Argentinos Juniors were Arsenal's opponents in friendlies three and four, with both encounters ending in defeats on 6 July in Buenos Aires. Aníbal Leguizamón moved to Ecuadorian Serie A outfit Emelec on 26 June.
Arsenal beat Independiente twice in friendlies on 10 July, after Fernando Torrent and Alan Soñora goals. Arsenal, on 19 July, revealed Pablo Álvarez was training with the club ahead of a potential move from Huracán. Lanús were fought in exhibition matches on 17 July, on a day that saw one win apiece. Unión Santa Fe loaned Federico Milo from Arsenal on 19 July. Arsenal avoided defeat in friendly matches with Rosario Central, drawing and winning at the Estadio Gigante de Arroyito. Pablo Álvarez penned a deal from Huracán on 22 July.

### July

Arsenal sealed their return to the top-flight of Argentine football with a 1–0 victory over Banfield on 29 July, as Ezequiel Rescaldani converted a penalty to gain them three points. Two days later, Arsenal held a friendly match with Claypole for players who didn't play against Banfield. They won it 3–0 after goals from Juan Cruz Kaprof, Rubén Zamponi and Juan García.

### August

On 1 August, Arsenal revealed that Joel Soñora (Talleres, loan) and Diego Nuñez (San Miguel) were training with the club ahead of potential moves. Both officialized their incomings hours later. Arsenal made it back-to-back wins in the Primera División on 5 August, as they came away from Godoy Cruz's Estadio Malvinas Argentinas with all three points thanks to goals from new signings Nicolás Giménez and Joel Soñora. Arsenal drew and lost to Racing Club in friendlies on 9 August. Arsenal secured nine points from a possible nine in the league on 18 August versus Defensa y Justicia, following strikes by Lautaro Parisi, Gastón Álvarez Suárez and Joel Soñora. Arsenal fell to defeat in a friendly with Atlanta on 19 August, with a back-up line-up losing by three goals at home.
Arsenal's three-match winning streak came to a close on 23 August, as San Lorenzo maintained their own unbeaten run with a 0–2 victory. Arsenal were knocked out of the Copa Argentina on 28 August by Estudiantes (BA), who went three up in thirty minutes.

### September

Arsenal were condemned to a 1–0 loss at the hands of Atlético Tucumán on 1 September.

## Squad

| Squad No. | Nationality | Name | Position(s) | Date of Birth (age) | Signed from |
| Goalkeepers ||||||
| 1 | | Maximiliano Gagliardo | GK | (1983-04-21) 21 April 1983 (age 41) | Los Andes |
| 12 | | Daniel Sappa | GK | (1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 30) | Estudiantes (LP) (loan) |
| 30 | | Alejandro Rivero | GK | (1998-06-12) 12 June 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| | | Pablo Santillo | GK | (1980-03-07) 7 March 1980 (age 44) | Defensa y Justicia |
| Defenders ||||||
| 2 | | Fabio Pereyra | DF | (1990-01-31) 31 January 1990 (age 35) | San Jorge |
| 3 | | Emiliano Papa | LB | (1982-04-19) 19 April 1982 (age 42) | Tigre |
| 6 | | Rubén Zamponi | CB | (1986-07-15) 15 July 1986 (age 38) | Crucero del Norte |
| 18 | | Ulises Abreliano | DF | (1998-04-09) 9 April 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| 20 | | Leonardo Marchi | DF | (1996-09-17) 17 September 1996 (age 28) | Academy |
| 22 | | Pablo Álvarez | RB | (1984-04-17) 17 April 1984 (age 40) | Huracán |
| 26 | | Franco Sbuttoni | CB | (1989-05-06) 6 May 1989 (age 35) | Atlético Tucumán |
| 28 | | Horacio Igarzabal | DF | (2000-05-31) 31 May 2000 (age 24) | Academy |
| 32 | | Alexis Salinas | DF | (1997-05-31) 31 May 1997 (age 27) | Academy |
| 33 | | Patricio Luce | DF | (1997-01-26) 26 January 1997 (age 28) | Los Andes |
| | | Federico Cataldi | CB | (1996-05-03) 3 May 1996 (age 28) | Academy |
| Midfielders ||||||
| 4 | | Fernando Torrent | MF | (1991-10-02) 2 October 1991 (age 33) | Defensores de Belgrano |
| 5 | | Emiliano Méndez | CM | (1989-02-15) 15 February 1989 (age 36) | Deportivo Morón |
| 8 | | Jesús Soraire | AM | (1988-12-03) 3 December 1988 (age 36) | San Jorge |
| 10 | | Lucas Necul | AM | (1999-08-21) 21 August 1999 (age 25) | Academy |
| 11 | | Gastón Álvarez Suárez | AM | (1993-04-05) 5 April 1993 (age 31) | Belgrano |
| 13 | | Facundo Kruspzky | MF | (2002-07-28) 28 July 2002 (age 22) | Academy |
| 14 | | Mateo Carabajal | CM | (1997-02-21) 21 February 1997 (age 28) | Academy |
| 15 | | Lucas Piovi | RM | (1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 33) | Almagro |
| 19 | | Joel Soñora | AM | (1996-09-15) 15 September 1996 (age 28) | Talleres (loan) |
| 21 | | Leonel Picco | MF | (1998-10-22) 22 October 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| 24 | | Alejo Antilef | MF | (1998-07-20) 20 July 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| 25 | | Ramiro Balbuena | MF | (2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 25) | Academy |
| 29 | | Lionel Laborda | MF | (1999-03-03) 3 March 1999 (age 26) | Boca Juniors (loan) |
| 31 | | Nicolás Giménez | AM | (1996-01-16) 16 January 1996 (age 29) | Talleres |
| | | Lucas Coyette | AM | (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 26) | Academy |
| | | Diego Nuñez | CM | (1990-02-10) 10 February 1990 (age 35) | San Miguel |
| Forwards ||||||
| 7 | | Facundo Pons | FW | (1995-11-22) 22 November 1995 (age 29) | Juventud Pueyrredon |
| 9 | | Juan García | FW | (1992-11-14) 14 November 1992 (age 32) | Banfield |
| 16 | | Lautaro Parisi | FW | (1994-03-22) 22 March 1994 (age 30) | Guillermo Brown (loan) |
| 17 | | Juan Cruz Kaprof | RW | (1995-03-12) 12 March 1995 (age 29) | Atlético Tucumán |
| 23 | | Ezequiel Rescaldani | CF | (1992-06-11) 11 June 1992 (age 32) | Patronato |
| 27 | | Ezequiel Cérica | CF | (1986-10-20) 20 October 1986 (age 38) | Los Andes |
| | | Gonzalo Gómez | FW | (1998-02-23) 23 February 1998 (age 27) | Academy |
| Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Out on loan | Loaned to |
| | | Federico Milo | LB | (1992-01-10) 10 January 1992 (age 33) | Unión Santa Fe |
| | | Facundo Quintana | CF | (1996-01-28) 28 January 1996 (age 29) | L.D.U. Portoviejo |

## 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 |
| 3 July 2019 | RM | Lucas Piovi | Almagro |
| 3 July 2019 | RW | Juan Cruz Kaprof | Atlético Tucumán |
| 3 July 2019 | CF | Ezequiel Rescaldani | Patronato |
| 3 July 2019 | AM | Nicolás Giménez | Talleres |
| 3 July 2019 | CB | Franco Sbuttoni | Atlético Tucumán |
| 22 July 2019 | RB | Pablo Álvarez | Huracán |
| 1 August 2019 | CM | Diego Nuñez | San Miguel |

### Transfers out

| Date from | Position | Name | To |
| 26 June 2019 | CB | Aníbal Leguizamón | Emelec |
| 3 July 2019 | AM | Ramiro López | Barracas Central |
| 3 July 2019 | FW | Sebastián Lomonaco | Godoy Cruz |
| 3 July 2019 | GK | Mauricio Aquino | Colegiales |
| 4 July 2019 | CF | Ryduan Palermo | Released |

### Loans in

| Start date | Position | Name | From | End date |
| 3 July 2019 | GK | Daniel Sappa | Estudiantes (LP) | 30 June 2020 |
| 3 July 2019 | FW | Lautaro Parisi | Guillermo Brown | 30 June 2020 |
| 1 August 2019 | AM | Joel Soñora | Talleres | 30 June 2020 |

### Loans out

| Start date | Position | Nationality | Name | To | End date | Ref. |
| 19 July 2019 | LB | | Federico Milo | Unión Santa Fe | 30 June 2020 | |

## Friendlies
### Pre-season

Arsenal de Sarandí announced five pre-season friendlies on 11 June 2019, with the club setting encounters with Banfield, Argentinos Juniors, Independiente, Racing Club and Lanús; to be played between 3 July and 17 July. The cancellation of the Racing Club friendly allowed them to schedule a match with Talleres in its place. However, the Talleres fixture was also cancelled due to bad weather. A game away to Rosario Central was later added.
Win  Draw  Loss

### Mid-season

Arsenal scheduled a friendly with Claypole for 31 July, with it allowing players who didn't feature in their Primera División opener against Banfield two days prior. Arsenal held a fixture on 9 August in their city with Racing Club at Predio Tita Mattiussi; the latter club's training ground. An encounter with Atlanta was also set. They'd take a trip to Vélez Sarsfield on 6 September.
Win  Draw  Loss

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

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 9 | Rosario Central | 23 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 31 | 29 | +2 | 36 |
| 10 | Newell's Old Boys | 23 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 33 | 25 | +8 | 35 |
| 11 | Arsenal | 23 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 37 | 32 | +5 | 34 |
| 12 | Talleres (C) | 23 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 34 | 30 | +4 | 34 |
| 13 | Estudiantes (LP) | 23 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 22 | +1 | 30 |

#### Relegation table

| Pos | Team | 2017–18 Pts | 2018–19 Pts | 2019–20 Pts | Total Pts | Total Pld | Avg |
| 1 | Boca Juniors | 58 | 51 | 11 | 120 | 57 | 2.105 |
| 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 |
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: 1 September 2019. Source: Soccerway

#### Matches

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

### Copa Argentina

Arsenal were paired with Estudiantes (BA) in the Copa Argentina round of thirty-two.
Win  Draw  Loss

### Copa de la Superliga

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 |
| 1 | GK | | Maximiliano Gagliardo | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | DF | | Fabio Pereyra | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 3 | LB | | Emiliano Papa | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 4 | MF | | Fernando Torrent | 4(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | CM | | Emiliano Méndez | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 6 | CB | | Rubén Zamponi | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 7 | FW | | Facundo Pons | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 8 | AM | | Jesús Soraire | 2(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3(2) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 9 | FW | | Juan García | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | AM | | Lucas Necul | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | AM | | Gastón Álvarez Suárez | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 12 | GK | | Daniel Sappa | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 13 | MF | | Facundo Kruspzky | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 14 | CM | | Mateo Carabajal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 15 | RM | | Lucas Piovi | 4(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4(1) | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 16 | FW | | Lautaro Parisi | 4(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4(1) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 17 | RW | | Juan Cruz Kaprof | 0(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 18 | DF | | Ulises Abreliano | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 19 | AM | | Joel Soñora | 3(1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4(1) | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 20 | DF | | Leonardo Marchi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 21 | MF | | Leonel Picco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 22 | RB | | Pablo Álvarez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 23 | CF | | Ezequiel Rescaldani | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 24 | MF | | Alejo Antilef | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 25 | MF | | Ramiro Balbuena | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 26 | CB | | Franco Sbuttoni | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 27 | CF | | Ezequiel Cérica | 0(3) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1(3) | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28 | DF | | Horacio Igarzabal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 29 | MF | | Lionel Laborda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | GK | | Alejandro Rivero | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 31 | AM | | Nicolás Giménez | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | |
| 32 | DF | | Alexis Salinas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 33 | DF | | Patricio Luce | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | CB | | Federico Cataldi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | LB | | Federico Milo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | AM | | Lucas Coyette | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | FW | | Gonzalo Gómez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | CM | | Diego Nuñez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | CF | | Facundo Quintana | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| – | GK | | Pablo Santillo | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | — | — | — |
Statistics accurate as of 1 September 2019.

### Goalscorers

| Rank | Pos | No. | Nat | Name | League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | Ref |
| 1 | AM | 19 | | Joel Soñora | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 | |
| 2 | CF | 23 | | Ezequiel Rescaldani | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| 2 | AM | 31 | | Nicolás Giménez | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| 2 | FW | 16 | | Lautaro Parisi | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| 2 | AM | 11 | | Gastón Álvarez Suárez | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| 2 | FW | 9 | | Juan García | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| 2 | CF | 27 | | Ezequiel Cérica | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | |
| Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | Own goals | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | |
| Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | 6 | 2 | 0 | – | 8 | — |