A Tough Night in La Paternal
Matchday 4 of the 2026 Torneo Clausura | Sunday, August 9, 2026
In a heated encounter at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, Racing Club fell 2-1 to Argentinos Juniors in the fourth round of Argentina's Torneo Clausura. The loss was compounded by the early red card of star striker Adrián 'Maravilla' Martínez, leaving the Academy with ten men just 20 minutes into the match. Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda did not mince words afterward, expressing his frustration with the team's discipline and performance.
The Red Card That Changed Everything
Martínez was sent off by referee Pablo Dóvalo after a VAR review (led by Diego Ceballos) for elbowing Kevin Gutiérrez of Argentinos, which left the midfielder with a cut above his right eyebrow. This was the fifth red card for Maravilla in his 118 appearances for Racing. Despite the incident, Martínez left the pitch without protest and reportedly apologized to Gutiérrez, saying it was unintentional.
“It was a mistake, and at the high level we are at, we can't afford that, and he knows it. We'll correct it and make sure it doesn't happen again.”
Juan Pablo Vojvoda, Racing Club head coachVojvoda's Strong Message to the Squad
With recent departures of Santiago Sosa and Baltazar Rodríguez, and new signings Leonel Pérez (on loan from Gremio with a $3.5M option) and Gastón Lodico (bought from Instituto for $2M), Vojvoda made it clear that no one is guaranteed a starting spot:
- “I won't promise any of them a starting place; they'll have to earn it. It's match by match, based on performance.”
- “I want to be with those who want to be here.”
- “Those who don't play will get their chance, but they'll have to show me.”
Serious Injury for Marco Di Césare
The match also brought bad news on the injury front. Defender Marco Di Césare suffered a fracture of the fibula in his right ankle after an awkward movement while attempting to clear a cross. He was taken off on a stretcher, visibly in pain. Vojvoda confirmed he will definitely miss the next match against Banfield, scheduled for August 14.
Match Recap
Argentinos Juniors took the lead early through Tomás Molina in the 9th minute. Racing equalized in the 28th minute with a goal from Ezequiel Cannavo, set up by young talent Alejandro Tello. However, in the second half, the home side sealed the win with a strike from Hernán López Muñoz in the 77th minute. With this victory, Argentinos remains top of the table with a perfect record (12 points), while Racing suffers its second consecutive defeat.