Racing (Argentina) – Bucaramanga (Colombia)
Racing Club delivered a football masterclass in their Copa Libertadores debut last week, defeating Fortaleza EC 3-0 away to claim their first three points. On Sunday, Gustavo Costas’ men also secured a 4-1 home win over Banfield to keep their hopes alive of reaching the Apertura Tournament playoffs. With four rounds remaining, La Academia sit on 16 points, just one behind the last qualifying spot in Group A. Overall, Racing have lost only one of their last six matches (four wins, one draw). At home, they’ve recorded four wins and two defeats in 2025. Atlético Bucaramanga returned to the Copa Libertadores after 27 years with a respectable performance but an unsatisfying result: they had to settle for a 3-3 draw against CSD Colo Colo after blowing a two-goal lead. On Saturday, with several changes to the lineup, the team lost 2-1 away to Deportes Tolima, a result that leaves them 13th in the Colombian Torneo Apertura with 13 points from 12 matches. It also ended two four-game unbeaten runs (two wins and two draws each): one overall, and one away from home. Captain, defender Jefferson Mena, will miss Thursday’s clash due to a muscle injury. Racing are in great attacking form, just coming from scoring 4 in a few minutes at home on the weekend game with their top scorer Adrian Martinez getting a hat trick and becoming the league’s top scorer. They have the 2nd best attack with 20 goals in 12 matches and will face a Bucaramanga team with little international experience, without their captain and defender, veteran Jefferson Mena who are coming from a 3-3 goals fest last week in their debut so I have to expect goals here as well.