Racing Club made a huge impact in the 2024 Copa Sudamericana, eliminating three Brazilian teams in a row and easily defeating Botafogo in the Recopa Sudamericana. But not content with that achievement, coach Gustavo Costas drove his players crazy with a grand goal: to win the Copa Libertadores, a tournament they haven't won since 1967. Racing was eliminated in the Copa Libertadores semifinals by Brazilian club Flamengo, but fans of 'La Academia' can see a very positive aspect in this: their coach, Gustavo Costas, has returned the team to its rightful place. When Costas arrived at Racing for his third stint as head coach, the mood was not the best, as they were coming from the frustrating tenure of Fernando Gago, who left in the worst possible way with the fans, condemned for his conformism and his defeatist discourse of just 'competing.' Costas, true to his style, arrived with a completely different speech and promised to win international trophies again, which he has more than fulfilled. The illusion was present at all times, you could feel it in the air and in every celebration at 'El Cilindro de Avellaneda,' like when they beat Fortaleza in the last minute thanks to Adrián 'Maravilla' Martínez's bicycle kick, the agonizing qualification against Peñarol, and the victory over Vélez in the quarterfinals. And the fans supported them as always, aware that the goal was closer than ever. They gave a send-off when the players went to concentrate in Pilar, a reception rarely seen like the one tonight, and cheered during the entire match. But all of that was not enough to eliminate Flamengo, a team with an enormous wallet and stars that could easily play for big European clubs, which is also seeking to become the first Brazilian team to win the Copa Libertadores four times. However, Costas's Racing has laid the foundations for what is to come in the coming years and has returned 'La Academia' to the place from which it should never have left: winning important tournaments and fighting for the Copa Libertadores until the final stages. Racing no longer just 'competes,' as Gago used to say after every failure, as if he wanted to challenge the fan. Racing today is a real threat to any team on the continent, with a squad that gives absolutely everything to pursue their dreams.
