Next Sunday, Independiente will host Racing at the Libertadores de América-Ricardo Enrique Bochini stadium for the 10th round of the Apertura Tournament. The team will aim to end a streak of more than three years without winning a local derby. The last time the "Red" defeated one of the five big clubs of Argentine football at home was on November 24, 2021, when they beat Boca Juniors 1-0 with a goal from Carlos Benavidez. The last victory in the Avellaneda derby at Bochini 751 was that same year, with a goal from Silvio Romero.
Independiente has gone nine games without winning derbies at home since then and will face Racing with the intention of changing that statistic. Julio Vaccari's team is the sole leader of Group B in the Apertura Tournament, while Racing is going through a negative streak with four consecutive losses and five in their last six matches. Despite the good results in the league, derbies are always different encounters, and Racing comes in with the momentum of having won the Recopa Sudamericana against Botafogo.
A victory over Racing would consolidate Independiente's position at the top of Group B and position them as a strong candidate for the local tournament title. Over the last derbies at home against the five big teams, Independiente has faced San Lorenzo, Boca, River, and Racing with results reflecting the difficulty of these matches. The team will seek to change this trend next Sunday against Racing in a match that promises high doses of excitement and rivalry.
