Racing Club are in a rut, and it is not a small one. Three straight losses in the Torneo Clausura — against Banfield, Argentinos Juniors, and Tigre — have left the Avellaneda side wobbling. That is the kind of slide that gets into a team's head, especially in a one-off cup tie where nerves already run high. The Cilindro has not been a fortress lately, and Juan Pablo Vojvoda is scrambling to patch up a squad with little depth. He is expected to make two changes from the side that fell to Banfield, but that feels like rearranging deck chairs. The confidence is low, the rhythm is off, and the pressure is mounting.

Belgrano, meanwhile, are riding a wave. Two consecutive wins in the league have the Pirata faithful dreaming. Ricardo Zielinski has this team organised, compact, and dangerous on the break. They are not flashy, but they are effective — the kind of side that grinds out results and makes life miserable for favourites. Their recent 0-1 home loss to Argentinos Juniors was a blip, but they bounced back with the kind of resilience that defines a Zielinski side. Coming into this cup tie, Belgrano look sharper, more settled, and far happier in their own skin. Momentum is a real thing in football, and right now it wears blue and white.