The situation leaves Racing in a complex scenario, since although they added a high-profile reinforcement, the regulatory limitation forces them to adjust their planning for the Clausura.
The Academy faces a regulatory issue registering the defender for the Clausura, although Conmebol has given the green light for international competitions
The situation leaves Racing in a complex scenario, since although they added a high-profile reinforcement, the regulatory limitation forces them to adjust their planning for the Clausura.
The arrival of Marcos Rojo to Racing, after the mutual termination of his contract with Boca, brought an unexpected issue for Academia. According to article 19.2.4 of the AFA, free agents can only be registered with another club before July 24. Rojo signed on August 7 and, although he has already been officially presented, he won't be able to play in the Torneo Clausura because he didn't meet that requirement.
Faced with this situation, the management of Racing, led by Diego Milito, sought solutions: they consulted Boca to reverse the termination and requested a special permit from the AFA. However, ESPN journalist Esteban Edul confirmed that the entity presided over by Claudio Chiqui Tapia denied him the possibility of playing: "there's no legal way to enable Rojo to play in the tournament".
Additionally, the matter also involves the Professional League, so Gustavo Costas won't be able to count on the defender in the Clausura, limiting his participation to international competitions and the Copa Argentina.
Beyond the problem on the domestic front, Racing received encouraging news from CONMEBOL, since the entity authorized Rojo's registration to play in the Copa Libertadores. This means that the defender will be able to be included in the squad list for the round of 16 match against Peñarol, with the first leg in Montevideo and the return in Avellaneda.
Although he won't be able to play in the domestic tournament, this exception at the international level will allow coach Gustavo Costas to have an alternative in defense.