Racing must beat Atlético Paranaense by at least two goals difference to reach the semifinals of the Copa Sudamericana. The revenge for the quarterfinals will be played at the Cilindro de Avellaneda from 9:30 p.m. with DSports television and the winner of the match will face Corinthians in the semis, which eliminated Fortaleza by a resounding aggregate score of 5 to 0. If the Academy won with only one goal away, whatever the result, the pass will be determined by kicks from the penalty spot. Paranaense has two results in its favor, the win and the draw.
In the first leg a week ago in Curitiba, the Academy lost 1-0 without playing well and with their goalkeeper Gabriel Arias as the main figure. And after falling that defeat and with an alternative formation, they lost again on Sunday against Talleres in Córdoba by 2-0. In other words, Racing does not arrive well planted and its coach Gustavo Costas faces criticism for the poor performance of the team and some players and also for its direct style of play with little possession. The Sudamericana matters because it is the highest racing objective of the year. Much more so if you take into account that the club has not won an international title since 1988.
For this match, Costas would initially bet on a double spearhead with Adrián “Maravilla” Martínez further forward and the Colombian Roger Martínez somewhat further back instead of his compatriot Juan Fernando Quintero who would return to the substitutes’ bench. Maximiliano Salas would complete the offensive trident and Johan Carbonero, in principle, will also go to the bench.
Replaced from a fracture in his left foot, Gabriel Rojas will reappear as a left back, replacing Facundo Mura, with the obligation to cover the entire wing from end to end. The same will happen on the other side with the Uruguayan Gastón Martirena. In the background, meanwhile, the same line of three that played in Brazil with Marco Di Césare, Santiago Sosa and Santiago Quirós will be maintained and Juan Nardoni and Agustín Almendra will once again be in the middle of the field.
For its part, Atletico Paranaense does not arrive in the best way either. After drawing 0-0 with Criciuma for the Brazilian championship, Uruguayan coach Martín Varini was fired and an acquaintance took over: “Lucho” González, former player for Huracán, River and the Argentine National Team, with a long career in soccer in that country. and that he has publicly admitted that he is a Racing fan. Paranaense is three points from the relegation zone and the Copa Sudamericana is its salvation in the midst of a bad campaign.
