Arruabarrena on beating O'Higgins, signings and Paredes' return | OneFootball

After the win against the Chilean side, Rodolfo Arruabarrena spoke at the press conference to break down the team’s performance. His analysis left a positive overall impression because of the result, but with a strong focus on the team’s collective play, the adaptation of the new signings, and the specific influence of the leaders on the field.

Paredes’ return to Boca was one of the standout moments of the day, and Arruabarrena made that clear in his remarks to the media. His presence gave the team an undeniable touch of quality, pulling the strings from midfield. "I have no words to describe what Leandro means to the group and to the club. He was fully committed and had a tremendous match," highlighted the Vasco.

Although he acknowledged that the midfielder ended the match with the expected fatigue after having played in a World Cup and the final just a few hours earlier, he reassured everyone by confirming that he finished the game in good condition, establishing himself as a vital piece in the team’s functioning.

The spotlight was also on the players who logged their first official minutes and those returning to provide an attacking spark. In goal, Álvaro Montero passed his first test with flying colors in his debut at La Bombonera. "He delivered. It was his first match at Boca’s stadium and he showed the confidence we noticed. In the air, with his feet, making the saves he had to make," he concluded.

Rodolfo Arruabarrena at the press conference.

Sebastián Villa’s return was assessed positively by the coach, who highlighted his ability to break lines. "He brings imbalance, speed, and one-on-one ability. Obviously, over time he’ll get to know his teammates better and that will make some combinations much easier," he explained, pointing out that the Colombian’s diagonal runs are already starting to pay off in attack.

Rodolfo Arruabarrena highlighted the areas that need improvement

Despite the joy of the win against an opponent that came in with more official match sharpness, there was also room for constructive self-criticism. The main issue he pointed out was the management of the game’s tempo and decision-making in the final third. Speaking about possession, he said: "We would have liked to have a little more control of the ball," noting that at times the opponent was able to dictate the flow of the match, forcing the team to do more tracking back than they should have.

Boca beat O'Higgins 1-0. Photo: Gerónimo Marino/La Número 12.

Arruabarrena pointed to conceptual mistakes inside the opponent’s box: "At times we lacked those crosses or some finishes where we made mistakes, where we went with our foot instead of our head, but that’s normal." His final message was clear looking ahead, emphasizing that they have played only two official matches so far and that there is plenty of room for improvement. "We have to keep working because there are mistakes to correct. We have to get used to winning."

Keep reading:

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Miguel Merentiel scored Boca’s 1-0 against O'Higgins

What time Boca vs O'Higgins kicks off and how to watch it live

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.