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Argentine football will experience a high-voltage Tuesday as Vélez Sarsfield and Racing Club kick off their quarterfinal series in the Copa Libertadores. A matchup that promises maximum parity, with no clear favorite, and marked by the decision to play without away fans in both legs, a measure aimed at preventing violent incidents in the stands.

Vélez arrives in great form

El Fortín comes into this stage riding one of its best recent runs. On September 6, they lifted the Supercopa Argentina after defeating Central Córdoba, securing their second title in just two months under Guillermo Barros Schelotto, having also won the Supercopa Internacional against Estudiantes de La Plata.

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The Mellizo’s team remains unbeaten in its last six matches and recently overcame Fortaleza in the round of 16. In that series, they earned a valuable scoreless draw in Brazil and sealed qualification with a solid 2-0 win at home. In domestic competition, they sit third in Zone B of the Clausura, just three points behind leaders River Plate, and last weekend salvaged a draw away to Huracán.

Racing looks to rediscover its best form

On the other side stands Racing, the reigning Copa Sudamericana champion, mixing encouraging results with inconsistent performances. Despite those doubts, La Academia still holds high hopes after knocking out Peñarol in one of the tournament’s most thrilling round-of-16 ties.

On the domestic front, the light blue-and-white side gained a morale boost last Friday by defeating San Lorenzo 2-0 in the clásico, although they currently sit 14th in Zone A. One curious stat excites their fans: the last time Racing won in the league right before a Libertadores quarterfinal, in 1997, they went on to reach the semifinals.

A clásico without away fans and recent violent precedents

The series will have a unique backdrop: there will be no away supporters either at the José Amalfitani or the Cilindro de Avellaneda. The decision comes after serious incidents three weeks ago during the match between Independiente and Universidad de Chile, which resulted in over one hundred arrests and around twenty injuries. That violence even led to the Argentine club’s elimination from the Copa Sudamericana.

The winner of this tie will face the victor of the clash between Estudiantes and Flamengo in the semifinals, ensuring that no matter the outcome, the next round will feature a matchup loaded with South American history and tradition.

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