Estudiantes and Gimnasia clash at UNO in Clausura 2026 matchday five

Some derbies need no introduction, and this is one of them. Estudiantes and Gimnasia meet Saturday at UNO for matchday five of the 2026 Clausura, with kickoff set for 5:45 p.m. (Argentina and Uruguay), 4:45 p.m. (Chile) and 3:45 p.m. (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru), broadcast live on ESPN Premium across South America.

The context adds even more spice to the occasion. Lobo arrives full of confidence after beating heavyweight opponents River, Aldosivi and Barracas in its last three outings. Pincha, on the other hand, comes off a 1-1 draw with Universidad Catolica in the first leg of the Libertadores round of 16 and has dropped two straight in the domestic league, so it needs to turn things around on every front.

Lobo has names that make a difference: Franco Torres, Nicolas Barros Schelotto and Nacho Fernandez are the players who worry the opposing defense most. On the home side, the spotlight falls on Tiago Palacios, Guido Carrillo and Joaquin Correa, three players capable of settling a tight game with a single play.

Piovi's take: leaning on identity

Ezequiel Piovi, one of the leaders of the Estudiantes squad, spoke ahead of the game and made clear the team is preparing for a demanding test. The midfielder was self-critical about the club's start to the season, but he also highlighted the positives in the team's recent performances.

"Even though we haven't gotten the points we wanted, I think we've done some good things and also some things we need to improve. We have to prepare for this game the way we always do."Ezequiel Piovi

Piovi also pointed to an area that, in his view, often decides these matchups: midfield. And he made no secret that the goal extends well beyond the derby itself.

"We didn't get the results we wanted at the start, and now with this game we want an extra boost of energy, also with Tuesday's game in mind, to get into the title race. We want to compete on every front."Ezequiel Piovi

Barros Schelotto and the weight of a surname

On Gimnasia's side, all eyes are on Nicolas Barros Schelotto, who faces another La Plata derby with extra motivation: following in the footsteps of his father, Guillermo, a historic Lobo idol who scored unforgettable goals in this very rivalry. The defender doesn't hide the fact that the subject always comes up in family conversations.

"When it comes to my dad, we always talk about how things went for him against Estudiantes. It's about trying to do a little of what he and that group of players did."Nicolas Barros Schelotto

And when he pictured himself scoring, the excitement grew even more.

"If I get the chance to score a goal, hopefully I can do a little of what my dad did in this shirt."Nicolas Barros Schelotto

There's a stat hanging over the game too: Gimnasia hasn't beaten Estudiantes at UNO in 23 years. It's a heavy number, but Barros Schelotto himself prefers to set it aside.

"We're thinking about going there to win, like at every stadium. I haven't sat around thinking that we've gone 23 years without winning there. That's more of an outside thing."Nicolas Barros Schelotto

As for recent history, the teams played to a scoreless draw at El Bosque in the Apertura, while the last derby at UNO ended 2-0 for Pincha, with goals from Cetre and Carrillo. Will history repeat itself, or will Lobo finally snap that streak? Saturday will start providing the answer.