Newell's Old Boys faced off against Barracas Central at the Estadio Julio Humberto Grondona on February 24, 2025, marking the debut of Cristian Fabbiani as head coach. Unfortunately for the Newell's faithful, the match ended with their team suffering a defeat and feeling the brunt of controversial officiation.
Fabbiani took over from Mariano Soso, aiming to implement tactical shifts and instill confidence among the players. Emphasizing simplicity over complexity, his management style focused on enhancing the team's organization on the pitch, ensuring the players did not feel overwhelmed or pressured during gameplay.
During pre-match preparations, Fabbiani made several adjustments to the starting lineup, opting for Alejo Montero on the right side and Brian Calderara on the left. Keylor Navas, the team's goalkeeper, was pivotal as the new strategy aimed to bolster defensive strength. Meanwhile, midfielder Luca Regiardo and Ever Banega were expected to anchor the midfield, with Banega tasked with creating offensive opportunities.
Despite Fabbiani's plans, his team struggled significantly to find the back of the net, only managing to score two goals across their prior six fixtures. This lack of scoring potency was evident against Barracas, with Carlos González’s position as the favored forward soon to be challenged by Luciano Herrera, who was included for his capability to cover ground.
Referee Pablo Echavarría’s performance became one of the focal points of the post-match discussions, particularly concerning the VAR’s decision-making. Newell's felt robbed when no penalty was awarded for what appeared to be a handball by Barracas defender Rak. Fabbiani was pressed on this during his post-match conference but deftly pivoted from discussing the officiation, stating, “That’s for you to discuss. I’m the coach, and my responsibility is to assure the team continues to improve.”
Fabbiani noted positives, claiming, “I believe the team rose to the occasion; we implemented tactical shifts and maintained organization,” stressing the team’s need for calm and focus moving forward. He acknowledged their performance did not merit the loss, indicating, “We didn’t deserve to lose because they hardly attacked us.”
Highlighting their tactics, he continued: “We created opportunities from both inside and outside the box. We exhibited great organization, attacking from all angles, but the result didn’t reflect our efforts,” emphasizing the need for patience as the team adjusts through this challenging period.
The match’s disappointing outcome magnified the need for improvements as Newell’s look to build on their tactical discipline and tackle future challenges head-on. With emotions running high and confidence wavering after the tough opener against Barracas Central, Fabbiani remains determined to steer the team back on the path to success.
Fabbiani concluded with optimism, declaring, “It was evident we played well. We’re just missing our touch of luck. Winning isn’t simply about being superior. This is football, and sometimes we need to embrace the learning curve. The road is long.”
Next up for Newell's is another challenging encounter where they will seek to rectify their earlier mistakes and chart a more favorable course for the season.