Marcos Rojo made his Racing debut in the loss to Peñarol and left a message for the fans: "We have to turn this around."

Marcos Rojo - or Marcos R., as they printed his shirt on the back, to avoid including the surname that coincides with the nickname of their classic rival - made his Racing debut . The former Boca defender came on with 10 minutes left to try to help keep the 'Academia' from conceding another goal, since when he came on, Peñarol were winning 1-0. Two days after his first training session, he got playing time and replaced Colombo, who was on the verge of being sent off.

"I'm very happy to have made my debut for such a big club and in the Copa Libertadores," said Rojo, who, after the match, stated that Gustavo Costas asked him to stay focused, especially on set pieces, a way Peñarol could complicate matters for Racing.

"I'M VERY HAPPY..." Marcos R. spoke about his debut with the Racing jersey in the CONMEBOL #Libertadores .

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— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) August 13, 2025

The left-footed defender, who complained about the state of the pitch, which "didn't help much and made the game feel tense and full of duels," stated that the match at the Campeón del Siglo stadium was "a typical Copa del Rey match." However, he didn't back down, and looking ahead to the rematch, he stated: "We have to move forward and turn it around ." He also believed he can contribute his experience and "the years I spent in football to Racing to support my teammates in the best possible way."

Racing had a lot of difficulties at the back . They played with their usual back three, but the only standout was Santiago Soso, who held his own against Silvera. However, the problems were on the flanks. Both with Di Cesare, who struggled greatly and was replaced by Bruno Zuculini, and with Colombo, a right-footed player who played on the left flank and also suffered greatly. He ended up playing like a piece of cake, as he wasn't booked when he brought Leo Fernández off the field and only recently received a yellow card for a foul in which he jumped on Silvera.

#NOW - ROJO DEBUTS WITH THE RACING SHIRT AGAINST PEÑAROL.

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— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) August 13, 2025

Rojo came on for Colombo with just eight minutes remaining in the match. The former Boca Juniors player, who is currently eligible to play in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Argentina—but not in the Clausura Tournament—and will earn a base salary based on performance, made his debut for Racing and returned to the field after nearly three months . His last match was with Xeneize, against Lanús on May 10 at La Bombonera.