Racing Club de Avellaneda hosts Brazilian giants Corinthians and Memphis Depay on Thursday evening in perhaps the most important game the club has played so far in continental football this century.

Racing have not played an international semi-final since 1997 and after a fantastic away performance in the first leg they will believe a place in the final is in sight. The first game ended in a 2-2 draw, so a home win would be enough to see Racing reach the Copa Sudamericana final in November.

Racing went to São Paulo and took the lead within minutes, scoring brilliant goals and two fantastic finishes in Brazil. They left the Corinthians Stadium with a really positive result, perhaps even better than expected, and will have their fans rocking at home on Thursday night.

The famous “Cilindro” stadium south of the capital Buenos Aires is home to a club that has previously been crowned world champions, let’s not forget that.

The racing club defeated Celtic’s incredible ‘Lisbon Lions’ team who won the European Cup in 1967 to secure such a title and they are all too aware of their international tournament tradition. Even though it’s been a while, they are a club that believes they need to win trophies like this year’s Copa Sudamericana.

However, a serious military force is moving into the city. Corinthians, who recently faced Flamengo in the Copa do Brasil semi-finals, are one of the largest and well-supported clubs in South America. They have a lot of history, an excellent squad and in Memphis Depay they currently have one of the poster boys of South American football.

The Dutchman wasn’t quite at his best in the first leg, but he showed signs of magic and has been at his best of late. Could he be the protagonist in a night that will definitely be one of the most incredible atmospheres in world football this year?

Depay arriving in the humble neighborhood of Avellaneda is what tournaments like these are all about. His wage bill and star status mean nothing to the locals and Corinthians is met with the utmost hostility and noise.

The Brazilians also demonstrated their quality in the first leg. Thanks to their great own goals, they are still well placed in this duel, which will hopefully be as “end-to-end” as the first leg, which was wonderful. Note the neutrality and a tremor for the fans of both teams.

A close encounter on the field and a sparkling background noise around the field should make this evening an unforgettable experience. The Copa Sudamericana semi-final is Racing Club versus Corinthians and a place in the final in Paraguay in a few weeks is at stake.