The mouthwatering clash at the Bombonera, one of the many 'clasicos' between the 'Big Five', comes with just 15 points to play for in the Apertura title race.
"If we win, it's going to get very difficult for the teams behind us to catch us. If we don't win, the objective will be not to lose so the advantage we have today does not get smaller," Boca defender Facundo Roncaglia told reporters.
Second-placed Racing's captain Claudio Yacob added: "We'll attack them all the time. With a draw they'll be too far [ahead] mathematically."
Unbeaten Boca, seeking their first crown since 2008 and held 0-0 at title holders Velez Sarsfield in their last match before the international break, will again be without playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme who has suffered with a foot injury for a month.
Racing's Colombia striker Teofilo Gutierrez is a doubt having missed training on Thursday when he should have returned from Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against Argentina in his home country.
Among the rest of the Big Five, San Lorenzo will be fighting to get out of the relegation zone into which they plunged last weekend when they host promoted Union at the Nuevo Gasometro having gone three matches without a win and with the pressure mounting on coach Omar Asad.
OWN GOAL
San Lorenzo lost 1-0 to All Boys on Saturday in a match postponed two weeks earlier when a Saints 'barra brava' fan angry at the team's performances attacked defender Jonathan Bottinelli after training. All Boys won with an own goal by Bottinelli.
Independiente, in mid-table but wary of a poor three-season points average that puts them dangerously close to the relegation zone, are at home to Olimpo on Saturday.
The absent member of the Big Five, relegated River Plate, are away to Guillermo Brown at Puerto Madryn in a Nacional B match on the windswept Patagonian South Atlantic coast looking to bounce back from a home defeat by Atletico Tucuman.
The Monumental was packed with about 45,000 fans for River's return home on Sunday after a five-match ground suspension following crowd violence when they were relegated at the Monumental in June.
But Atletico spoilt the party with two early breakaway goals to win 2-0 allowing Instituto to take the sole lead in the standings.
