A match where 'Rojo' will be at stake for the semester and the continuity of coach Gustavo Quinteros. As reported by the Argentine News Agency, the team of the former Vélez coach will arrive at this 226th edition of the 'Avellaneda Classic' with more doubts than certainties, despite the 4-2 win over Atenas de Rio Cuarto in the Round of 32 of the Copa Argentina, last Friday at the Norberto Tomaghello stadium in Florencio Varela. In that match against the modest Córdoba team, a side full of substitutes, it seemed to more than fulfill the commitment against the Federal A side and left good impressions for the match against Racing, thanks to the pleasant appearances of forward Facundo Valdez and midfielder Mateo Pérez Curci. However, the match caused concern at Independiente with two goals from Atenas at the end, being the only two shots on target from the Riocuartense team in the match and that the substitute goalkeeper Joaquín Blázquez could not clear, having been involved in the first where the ball went in through his post. Faced with the uncertain level of Rodrigo Rey, the goalkeeper on loan from Talleres de Córdoba was put under evaluation by coach Quinteros, but, seen and considering the low performance of Blázquez in Florencio Varela, the captain will return to Independiente's goal against Racing this Saturday where he will have the opportunity to redeem himself with the fans or bury his cycle at the club. The other unknown the coach has in building the team to face the 'Academy' will be in the replacement of the player sent off against Talleres de Córdoba: the Uruguayan Matías Abaldo. The one with the advantage to replace the former Gimnasia La Plata player is Ignacio Pussetto, but the young Valdez could beat him to it after being the star against Atenas de Rio Cuarto with a goal and two assists. On the other hand, left-back Facundo Zabala returned to training alongside his teammates, after the muscle tear he suffered against Instituto de Córdoba, and everything indicates that he would return to occupy that sector of the pitch in place of Milton Valenzuela, who was never up to Independiente's standards. Despite having successfully tested Pérez Curci against Atenas de Rio Cuarto, it is most likely that Quinteros will repeat the midfield with Iván Marcone, the Chilean Lautaro Millán and Ignacio Malcorra, who has not yet justified his arrival at Independiente in this transfer market. Thus, the coach will put his cycle at Independiente on the line with Rey in goal, the Colombian Santiago Arias and Zabala at the full-backs, Kevin Lomónaco and Sebastián Valdez in the central defense, the midfield composed of Marcone, Millán and Malcorra, and the offensive trident formed by Santiago Montiel and Pussetto on the wings and the Paraguayan forward and top scorer Gabriel Ávalos.
