In 2009, after an acceptable performance in that year's Clausura Tournament, Banfield played the Apertura, still with Falcioni as coach. The most frequent lineups were: Cristian Lucchetti, Julio Barraza, Sebastián Méndez, Víctor López, Marcelo Bustamante, Maximiliano Bustos, Walter Erviti, Marcelo Quinteros, James Rodríguez, Sebastián Fernández and Santiago Silva (who later became the top scorer of that tournament ). Banfield got off to a tremendous start, defeating teams like 2009 Clausura tournament champion Vélez Sársfield, Newell's Old Boys and drawing 0–0 with Rosario Central.