Velez Sarsfield could win the Argentina Clausura title this weekend - in an empty stadium.
It'll be a hollow celebration, but it's better than the fate facing River Plate. The giant Buenos Aires club has little to cheer about.
River Plate has won more league titles than any other Argentine club, but it could be facing a playoff to avoid relegation to the second division regardless of its results in the final two rounds of matches.
River has never been relegated since the Argentine league turned professional in 1931, and it's never even faced a playoff to stay up.
Velez Sarsfield plays at Huracan on Sunday, the second-last round of the championship. Huracan fans rioted during their last match, which caused it to be suspended. As punishment, their match will be played behind closed doors with Velez fans forced to watch on TV.
Velez will claim the title if it wins and Lanus, one point behind in the standings, loses its match to Argentinos Juniors.
''We know the opportunity we have in front of us, and we don't want to miss it,'' Velez coach Ricardo Gareca said.
His club has been close before.
It reached the Copa Libertadores semifinals - the continent's top club competition - before being ousted last week by Uruguay club Penarol. The Buenos Aires club also finished second to Estudiantes in the recent Apertura season.
The empty stadium is a symbol of the problems with violence that trouble many Argentine matches.
Three matches during the Clausura season have been suspended because of fan violence.
The worst incident came on March 20 when a San Lorenzo fan died after a confrontation with police outside Velez Stadium. It was the 256th football-related death in Argentina since 1924.
Even if River Plate manages to stay up, it is being humiliated. The club has won 33 league titles - 10 more than Boca Juniors - and is nicknamed the ''Millionaires,'' which reflects the lofty status it has held.
The club is the Manchester United or Real Madrid of Argentina. Its stadium is the best in the country and the favorite venue for the Argentine national team. Among its greatest players were Alfredo Di Stefano and Daniel Passarella.
Passarella is now the club president, trying to save an institution saddled with debts reported at $19 million.
Under Argentina's complicated system, relegation is based on results over three years. River Plate has been so-so this season, but its results in the past two years have been terrible.
First-division clubs River Plate, Huracan, Gimnasia and Quilmes face the possibility of two-game playoffs with second-division teams. Only two first-division clubs will face that fate and, of the four, River's results so far make it the most likely to contest the unpredictable two-game showdown.
The two playoff survivors play in the first division and the losers play in the second.
River faces a tough Estudianes team on Sunday and winds up the season with Lanus, which is battling Velez for the title.
''If we have to play a playoff, then we have to play it and win,'' captain Matias Almeyda said. ''We didn't think we would still be fighting it out at this stage of the season.''
