The reasons behind Ariel Holan's exit from Rosario Central | OneFootball

The news of Ariel Holan’s departure shook the auriazul-painted section of Rosario and resonated strongly throughout the football world. When everything seemed set for him to continue his project into 2026, with the Copa Libertadores on the horizon, the club released a statement announcing the “mutual termination” with the coach who had led them to the top of the annual table and secured the “League Champion” title. What’s behind his exit?

The first version suggests that the coach, who previously managed Independiente, had the idea of restructuring the squad in preparation for the triple competition they would face next year. These changes involved signings that would provide a “quality leap” and also the departure of some players—possibly including some key figures who had won the 2023 Copa de la Liga under Miguel Ángel Russo. The Board of Directors, led by Gonzalo Belloso, reportedly did not accept these conditions. The directors are not considering dismantling the team.

Meanwhile, from within the Arroyito camp, it’s claimed that there were divided opinions within the Board regarding his continuity. His recent record in direct elimination matches had become his Achilles’ heel and raised doubts among those who were not fully convinced.

To illustrate, the Canalla had lost in the quarterfinals of the Apertura, 1-0 to Huracán at the Gigante, the round of 16 in the Clausura, with the same result against Estudiantes de La Plata—the day of the “backwards guard of honor”—and in the round of 32 of the Copa Argentina, 3-1 to Unión on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regular time. All these were early exits, especially considering they were the team that earned the most points in the regular stage of both domestic championships. And with the Libertadores on the horizon—a tournament defined by knockout rounds—this was a cause for concern.

Little time has passed since the announcement of the end of his tenure, which left 22 wins, 13 draws, and seven losses in 42 matches. Surely, as the hours go by, more details about his departure will become clear.

The candidates to succeed Holan as Rosario Central’s coach While awaiting the decisions to be made at the Board meeting held Thursday afternoon, three names have started to gain significant traction in Arroyito: Juan Antonio Pizzi, Eduardo Coudet, and Ramón Díaz.

Chacho is the natural candidate, likely the first they will call—almost an obligation. Nevertheless, insiders admit that they will also keep in touch with Pizzi in the coming weeks. There is not yet a firm favorite. Several names are on the list.

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