After returning from his long stay in Europe’s prime leagues, it took few weeks for Newell’s Old Boys midfielder Maximiliano Rodríguez to give away his verdict on football in Argentina: “It’s worse than 10 years ago.”
The 31-year-old returned to his home club this year after spending the past decade in Europe with Espanyol, Atlético Madrid and Liverpool, and is quite upset with the low standard of the domestic league nowadays.
“Aesthetics are no longer a priority,” he told reporters.
“Teams are becoming more defensive, and players are focused purely on fitness. I think teams are playing worse than 10 years ago.
“There is a fear of losing, because if you lose three or four games in a row, the coach is likely to be thrown out. This generates a lot of madness; fans are pushing you to win all the time and managers are forced to make rash decisions.”
Newell’s are currently sharing the top in the Argentine tournament with another four teams, all with 7 points after three games.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald