Fire and Flames

They say that „hope dies last,“ and we Racing fans have been working hard since about 40 years to find out just how much truth there is to this statement.

Every year (and indeed twice a year, since in Argentina there are two tournaments per year), against all arguments of logic or reason, we give new birth to the illusion that the coming tournament will bring celebration, madness, and joy not only in the „tribuna“ (terraces), but also on the field. For this purpose, we drag poor old hope out and use it as a shield against reality. And so, basically every week hope gets the living crap kicked out of it, until the matter of us winning a tournament is resolved through pure mathematics, and hope can once again take a much deserved rest.

Tonight, at 1 am, viewable on rojadirecta.com, and transmitted for the first time since I have use of reason on free and public state television….Racing vs Rosario Central. What else are you going to do on a Saturday night?!

As customary, some related videos and anecdotes….

-The game is in Rosario, at Centrals stadium. This is one of the most unpleasant stadiums to visit with Racing, as the „hinchada“ of Central enjoys very strong bonds to the local police, which means that the area around the „away“ fans exit is usually a „liberated zone“ in the time immediately before, during, and after the game. Beatings, attempted robberies, smashed up cars, and so forth are not at all unusual. When does the police appear? When it seems Racing fans might defend themselves succesfully, then they come from nowhere and start shooting rubber bullets at anything that moves.

-In 1999, after Racing was declared bankrupt, the first game we played once we were allowed to play again was against Central in Rosario. 15.000 people travelled to attend it (Rosario is over 300km from Buenos Aires).

-Racing fans entering Centrals less than spectacular stadium, in which in two weeks nothing less than Argentina-Brazil (world cup qualifying) will take place.