Football

Relegation in the Argentinian leagues is already pretty much sewn up so that the big clubs don't go down. Relegation is worked out over a three season average, meaning a big club would need to have a catastrophic run to even end up in a playoff. That River are in this position really shows how far they have fallen and its been a malaise that has happened over a longer period than three years. The playoff game then becomes the safety net for the big sides in case of such a catastrophe. Anything could be going on with the FA and referee, but it would definitely been seen as an embarrasment for Argentinian football if they did go down.

I've seen Belgrano play before and they weren't great. They're by no means a small club but River really should be beating them.

As for Brazil, its quite different now. Was it Palmerias who were relegated quite recently?

• avid Tim Vickery reader
  
  

I lived in the Belgrano district of BA is that any relkation to the team? can't be can it ? as it was only a mile from River's stadium. The name of my street was '11th of september' and i went to live there a few days after....11/9/2001. I lived with my then gf whose uncle had recently topped himself...the third member of the family to do so. A few months later the economy collapsed. This was all a year after I lived in Taiwan...and they had a massive earthquake. I now live near West Ham Utd...any coincidence?