***ARSENAL v ESTUDIANTES KO 00.15am***

More action from the best league in the world. And I really fancy Estudiantes to get at least a point tonight.
It's all about Duvan Zapata for Estudiantes these days. He's a key player for this team and it could be really hard to replace him. If he stays, along with a healthy Juan Sebastian Veron and the help of the new players, there's some potential in this team to fight for the championship.
Estudiantes look more solid for this first match and, because of the many “unknowns” with the home side, they will fancy their chance of getting off to a flying start..
It could take Arsenal's coach Gustavo Alfaro time to rebuild with the very important players gone. They won't have a key player on set-pieces like Lopez, the skills
of Carbonero and the balance that Ortiz used to give them in midfield. And the new players are not, at least on paper, as good as those that they are replacing.
Even if most of the names in this first line-up are the same of last season, it feels like a rebuilding moment for Arsenal because some of their best players are gone. The most important one is probably defender Lisandro Lopez (gone to Benfica) but not having Jorge Ortiz (to Lanus) and Carlos Carbonero (to River) in midfield and young striker Dario Benedetto (to Xolos of Mexico)  should be a problem as well.
For this first game they will have the debut of ex-Tigre defender Mariano Echeverria, a tall and tough player that will try to replace Lisandro Lopez, ex Union midfielder Fausto Montero and striker Milton Caraglio, who comes from playing very little football for Italian team Pescara in the previous six months.
It was impossible to imagine a year ago when Juan Sebastian Veron decided to retire due to his constant issues with an ankle that 12 months later he was going to return. He's 38 years old: his quality is of course there but the main question is whether he will be able to stay healthy enough to make a difference on the pitch for Estudiantes.
The other big question for them right now is whether Colombian striker Duvan Zapata, arguably one of the best strikers in the league and a huge part of their attack, will stay or not. He was very close to be transferred to West Ham but it didn't happen due to some issues with his working VISA. And when it looked like he was staying until December rumors started in the last few hours that he wants to leave. Veron will be the only new player compared to last season because ex-San Martin playmaker Jorge Luna is suspended and their other new players, ex-Santos playmaker Patricio Rodriguez and Newell's defender Santiago Vergini, signed very recently.
Estudiantes have a good recent record against Arsenal with five wins from their last eight meetings.
Arsenal were quite an 'over-ish' side for Argentina last season so those who fancy goals have some hope.
I have had a big bet on Estudiantes DNB.