Rafaela clásico today: Atlético Rafaela v 9 de Julio, Torneo Federal A | OneFootball

Last February, all eyes were on the draw for the 2025 season of the Federal A tournament, a competition that, for the first time in its history, featured the three most important clubs from our city: Atlético de Rafaela, 9 de Julio, and Ben Hur. The group formation placed La Crema on one side, and El León and El Lobo together on the other. The classic between BH and 9 was once again a reality. The oldest derby in Rafaela, between the Albicelestes and the Julienses, would have to wait a bit longer. Everything depended on their sporting performance in the tournament’s first phase.

Both teams managed to make it into the Championship Zone, and the long-awaited moment finally arrived. The Rafaela superclásico will be played again after 33 years.

The football atmosphere in Rafaela experienced a special week, and the classic between Atlético and 9 de Julio is all anyone can talk about. After 12,142 days, they face each other once again to play the most important match of all, at least for their fans.

At the Monumental stadium in the Alberdi neighborhood, where La Crema remains unbeaten this year, they will face off this Sunday, September 7th, at 5:05 p.m.

The classic doesn’t award cups or stars, but for the fans, it’s worth as much as a championship in itself. It will be a ‘reunion’ after that famous Reválida played on June 8, 1922, which Atlético de Rafaela won 1-0.

For the 8th and penultimate matchday of the second phase of Federal A 2025, the Cremosos and Julienses will face off this Sunday afternoon at the Monumental in the Alberdi neighborhood, which will be packed with fans.

The main referee for the match, which only Atlético fans will be able to attend, will be José Manuel Díaz from Villa Mercedes. The San Luis native will be accompanied by Juan Ignacio Flores Roing and Federico Ojeda. The fourth official will be Leandro Hardfield.

Atlético de Rafaela comes into the match after losing 2-0 away to Juventud Antoniana de Salta, where they lost their unbeaten record in the Championship Zone. Even so, the team coached by Iván Juárez remains the group leader with 13 points.

9 de Julio comes from a 0-0 draw with Sportivo Belgrano de San Francisco, the other leader of the group, and thus (with 7 points), although they are somewhat behind in the race to qualify, they still have hopes of making it into the top four of the group.

Both teams will field their best available players in an attempt to claim the Rafaela classic.

La Crema could secure their place in the playoffs for direct promotion to Primera Nacional.

WITH ACUÑA’S RETURN

After serving his suspension, left-back Sebastián Acuña will return to the starting lineup in place of Nahuel Bravo, which would be the only change made by Julienses’ coach Marcelo Varela.

Nevertheless, as often happens before these high-stakes matches, there’s always room for a surprise change. If so, don’t rule out forward Lautaro Ocampo, who played 20 minutes against Sportivo Belgrano as he returned from injury. Although he didn’t show the full match fitness expected, he could be a card the coach plays. If he comes in, he would likely replace Tomás Bonilla, while Maximiliano Ibáñez is also an option, even though he hasn’t reached the expected level this season. He does have the bonus of having scored that goal in the Copa Santa Fe at León’s stadium two years ago.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS AND MATCH DETAILS

ATLÉTICO DE RAFAELA: Emanuel Bilbao; Julián Fuyana, Gabriel Fernández, Fernando Ponce, and Nicolás Utrera; Facundo Affranchino, Facundo Soloa, Damiano Jaime, and Agustín Pastorelli or Tadeo Marchiori; Ciro Leineker and Lucas Albertengo. Coach: Iván Juárez.

9 DE JULIO: Franco Fragueda; Maximiliano Martínez, Facundo Centurión, Tomás Androetto, and Sebastián Acuña; Nicolás Delsole, Facundo Maldonado, Jeremías Bustos, and Tobías Macies; Tomás Bonilla or Lautaro Ocampo, and Enzo or Maximiliano Ibáñez. Coach: Marcelo Varela.

Stadium: Monumental.

Referee: José Manuel Díaz.

Fourth official: Leandro Federico Hartfield.

Time: 17:05

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.