Why Newell’s? Gabriel Arias on what drew him to the Parque side | OneFootball

The 38-year-old goalkeeper explained that he joined La Lepra after being called by Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez, and stated that he wants a team that becomes champion.

The goalkeeper Gabriel Arias, the latest addition to Newell’s, said he is “very happy” to have arrived at La Lepra and affirmed: “I found a club that has a lot of wonderful things and it needs to be brought back to its feet. I want to form a group that becomes champion and that strives to push its limits and go a little bit further each time. My mindset is to try to reach the end of the year with a new star on the badge,” he told TyC Sports.

Arias, 38, explained the reason why he decided to move to Rosario: “Favio (Orsi) and Negro (Sergio Gómez) called me and showed an incredible desire to bring the club back to where it once was, fighting and winning titles. I was motivated by the way they spoke to me and now by the way they approach training. I feel very identified with them.”

The former Defensa y Justicia player said it would be “very important” and “a nice challenge” to wear the captain’s armband, but emphasized that the group is “always above everything”, clarified that this is a decision for the coaching staff, and added: “I just arrived here and I have to respect those who have been here longer. But sometimes I can’t help but demand and try to improve certain things. I’m going to demand from the directors, the coaching staff, my teammates, and myself, because that’s who I am.”

He then described the footballing characteristics they are working on in preseason: “We’re working on being an intense, compact team that knows when to give up possession and when to press higher up the pitch, but above all with a solid defense. The coaching staff has shown that they don’t stick to just one style and adapt to circumstances. Plus, they chose many of the players who have arrived, and that gives them an edge.”

El Rojinegro, who will not have international competition in 2026, will debut in the Torneo Apertura on Friday at 22:15 against Talleres in Córdoba.

On another note, Arias spoke about his seven and a half year spell at Racing: “It was a long period, with many goals achieved and some that weren’t reached. I enjoyed it and lived it in the best way possible.”

He then said he took coach Gustavo Costas’ decision to give his spot to Facundo Cambeses “well”: “From my side, everything was fine. There was no problem and I respected his decision. I always prioritized the well-being of the group because that’s how you achieve things—look, we even made it to a final afterwards.”

Finally, he praised Cambeses: “He’s a great goalkeeper. When I said goodbye to the squad, I thanked him because he made me improve a lot, he pushed me to demand even more from myself, and vice versa. He kept growing over time and ended up being the tremendous goalkeeper he is.”

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