Racing's coach, Gustavo Costas, aims to have his star forward, Adrián 'Maravilla' Martínez, for the classic match in Avellaneda against Independiente, scheduled for Sunday at 4 PM as visitors. Costas stated: 'He is capable of playing injured like Roger (Martínez) did if it were up to him,' after the 1-0 loss against Huracán last Saturday.
Martínez's presence in the Sunday match will depend on his physical condition, being one of six Racing players with uncertainty about their participation, including Luciano Vietto, Agustín García Basso, Marco Di César, Gabriel Rojas, and Santiago Sosa. Despite the victory in the final of the fifth international cup with an overall score of 4-0, this achievement came at a short-term cost for the team.
Racing suffered two significant absences due to the synthetic grass at the Nilton Santos stadium: midfielder Bruno Zuculini underwent meniscus surgery and is ruled out for the next match, while Adrián 'Maravilla' Martínez suffered a bone edema in the inner tibial plateau. This injury will leave him out of the clash against Independiente.
Martínez has been one of the most effective forwards for Racing this century, scoring 35 goals in 55 matches and earning a place in the history of the Avellaneda club. Although his absence in the derby was confirmed last week, coach Gustavo Costas seeks his participation despite the medical limitations. 'I don't know who I will be able to recover for the Sunday match,' Costas mentioned.
On February 27, Racing drew significant attention by winning the Recopa Sudamericana against Botafogo from Brazil in Rio de Janeiro. The question now is whether 'Maravilla' Martínez will be available for the upcoming challenge.
