Ascacíbar hails Superclásico win, admits he'd 'love' a River rematch | OneFootball

After playing his first Superclásico, Santiago Ascacíbar shared his feelings after beating River, admitted that he would love to face them again in the Torneo Apertura playoffs, highlighted the atmosphere in the locker room, and explained how his game evolved to reveal a goalscoring side that has little to do with the young player who debuted at Estudiantes.

“There’s still a way to go, we have to wait, but I’d love to have another match at whatever stage it comes,” Ascacíbar said on Radio La Red when asked about the chance of facing River again in the playoffs. Although it would take a catastrophe for it not to happen, Boca still has not officially qualified for the Torneo Apertura round of 16. If that happens, once the regular season ends it will be determined which side of the bracket they are placed on based on their positions in the table and, therefore, at what stage they could meet again.

He then spoke about the feeling of beating Millonario at the Monumental: “It’s a huge joy to know that everything is in order. Playing a Superclásico, winning it, and in this way... fills you with happiness. Knowing that you make the whole week wonderful for all the people who are supporting us is beautiful.”

He then referred to the good atmosphere within a squad that is on a 13-match unbeaten run: “A group takes shape and comes together over the months. You have to keep nurturing it. Obviously, we are ready to fight for huge things—that’s what I tell my teammates. We can never let our guard down or relax. We have to keep pushing. Something big is taking shape, I can see it.”

Ascacíbar quickly adapted to the demands that come with Boca, which he seems to understand perfectly. “The national spotlight is much bigger: everyone watches Boca. Whether you like it or not, you’re exposed and have to be at your highest level. It’s one of the things that struck me the most. I had already heard about it, but then you have to live it,” he explained.

In 14 matches wearing the Xeneize shirt, the Ruso has already scored three goals, a side of his game that emerged after returning from his spell in Europe. This is how he explained his transformation on the pitch: “In Germany they ask you to be involved in both attack and defense, both sides of the game. That’s very common there. Then I matured in my understanding of the game, understanding when to go and I incorporated it.” Today, together with Miguel Merentiel, he is the player who benefits the most from Leandro Paredes’ long passes and shows intelligent reading of the game, since he knows perfectly when to lose his marker and where to move depending on the position of the ball and his teammates.

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