In the prelude to a historical definition, the mayor of La Plata, Julia Alakleft a phrase that summarizes the special climate that is experienced ahead of the final of the Clausura Tournament, where a team from La Plata will face Racing the next Saturday, December 13 in Santiago del Estero.
The community leader, who admitted to being a fan of the Academy, had words after the Ciudad de La Plata Cup where he talked about the classic. “My heart belongs to Racing, but I have enormous affection for the La Plata clubs.”
And although his position is in the city that today is divided again into two, the football passion cannot be distanced: “But I am from Racing and I cannot deny that I would be deeply happy if the Academy were champions.”
The phrase came after the event that brought together local figures such as Tomas Etcheverry y Thiago Tiranteand that the mayor took advantage of to link with the sporting feeling that surrounds the entire Buenos Aires capital today.
A renowned Racing fan, the community leader bluntly expressed his personal feelings, although he highlighted the place that local clubs occupy in the La Plata identity. “My heart belongs to Racing, but I have enormous affection for the clubs of La Plata and I value the joy that would be in the city if a team from La Plata won. I am from Racing and I cannot deny that I would be deeply happy if the Academy wins,” he said.
Alak’s words came in a week full of expectation for the fans of both teams, with the city crossed by the match atmosphere that precedes one of the most important crossings of the local sports calendar. In this context, the mayor highlighted the role of football as a community gathering factor and an emotional driver that transcends the sporting result.
From his point of view, the achievements of Gimnasia y Estudiantes generate a direct impact on the collective spirit of the city, strengthen the local identity and project La Plata on the national stage. For this reason, beyond his racing affiliation, he made clear his appreciation for the history and present of both La Plata institutions.
The classic, as happens every time it is played, once again puts football at the center of the local scene: not only as a sporting competition, but as a cultural phenomenon that crosses neighborhoods, generations and social ties. In this framework, the mayor’s statements reflected that intersection between personal passion and sense of belonging to the city he governs.
