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 because of the call from Favio Orsi and Sergio Gómez, and declared that he wants a team that becomes champion.

The goalkeeper Gabriel Arias, the latest addition to Newell’s, said that he is “very happy” to have arrived at La Lepra and stated: “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 seeks to push its limits and go a little further each time. My mentality is to try to reach the end of the year with a new star on the badge”, in an interview with TyC Sports.

Arias, 38, explained the reason why he decided to move to Rosario: “Favio (Orsi) and Negro (Sergio Gómez) called me and showed tremendous 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 live the training sessions. I feel very identified with them”.

The former Defensa y Justicia player said that 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 it is a decision for the coaching staff, and added: “I’ve 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”.

Then, he described the footballing characteristics they are working on in preseason: “We are working on being an intense, compact team, one that knows when to give up the ball and when to press higher up, but above all with a solid defense. The coaching staff has shown that they don’t stick to a single style and adapt to circumstances. Also, they chose many of the players who 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 the other hand, Arias spoke about his seven and a half year spell at Racing: “It was a long stage, with many goals achieved and some that weren’t reached. I enjoyed it and lived it in the best way possible”.

He then said that he took “well” the decision by coach Gustavo Costas to give his spot to Facundo Cambeses: “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 things can be achieved, and look, we ended up reaching a final”.

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, made me push myself even more, and vice versa. He grew 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.