Every football fan has their own theory with regards to the best way to approach a must-win clásico. Some might believe that rolling into the fixture on the back of a run of victories is ideal, others that an advantage might be gained by suffering defeat on the eve of a derby, ramping up the pressure.
One thing is for certain: Newell's Old Boys' preparations were about as far from optimal as humanly possible. The Rosario side hit the ground running in the Copa de la Liga with four straight wins. Then, suddenly, the wheels fell off, as they hit a slump aided more than a little by a scheduling decision that bordered on the absurd.
In the middle of the season Newell's traipsed up to the United States to play a friendly against prodigal son Lionel Messi and Inter Miami, obviously a game of great sentimental meaning to the Lepra (not to mention financially fruitful) but not exactly what they needed at this pivotal point of the campaign. Newell's lost both of their matches either side of the jaunt and to top it all saw the talismanic Éver Banega sent off, meaning he will miss Sunday's Clásico Rosarino against Central. Then again, should they prevail this weekend perhaps more clubs will pick up the superstition and take impromptu holidays ahead of big matches...
It is not just Rosario that will be split down the middle, of course. The marvellous Clásico Round is back with us, serving up a festival of fraternal enmity across the country. Except in Mendoza – the Copa organisers' laziness in refusing to redraw the tournament in 2024 means that Godoy Cruz and Independiente Rivadavia will be playing teams from Córdoba and Santa Fe, robbing us of what would have been a memorable meeting in wine country.
Sunday's Superclásico will logically take centre-stage, with Diego Martínez hoping to lead Boca to victory in his first taste of the famous clash. But there are plenty of other fixtures with just as much, if not more on the line. In Avellaneda, both Independiente and Racing Club have made strong starts to the Copa, with the Rojo in particular standing out for Carlos Tevez's own brand of supremely effective, if not exactly scintillating football. It was Tevez who forced former Boca team-mate Fernando Gago out of Racing last year after winning at El Cilindro; now, Gustavo Costas takes the mantle for his 21st clásico, and fifth as Racing boss, the last coming all the way back in 2007.
In the south of Buenos Aires, meanwhile, two teams in desperate straits meet. Huracán have already dispensed with coach Facundo Sava ahead of Saturday's derby against San Lorenzo, who with just one win in six have not exactly set the world on fire either so far in 2024. The teams' poor form did not stop the usual barbs from flying, though: responding to San Lorenzo president Marcelo Moretti's contention that beating Boca was more important to the club, Huracán chief David Garzón replied that he “sees them as derby opponents of Riestra, rather than Boca.”
All that is to come, and further clásicos to boot in Córdoba, La Plata and Lanús, where Banfield visit their own arch-rivals. Another unforgettable round is here and this weekend there really will be no reason to stray from the television for even a minute.
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