Argentinos Juniors — Newells Old Boys : Match Preview and Prediction for October 18,2025

Argentinos Juniors: Attacking Struggles Continue

Argentinos Juniors approach this match grappling with clear issues in the final third. Their last two league outings vividly underscore this problem. First, they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Defensa, followed by a frustrating goalless 0-0 draw at home against Central Cordoba. The statistics from these recent games are quite revealing, painting a clear picture of their offensive woes.

Dominance Without End Product

In the game against Defensa, “Juniors” commanded 65% possession and fired 15 shots, yet only one of those efforts managed to find the target. A single shot on goal over 90 minutes, despite such overwhelming ball control, serves as a damning indictment of their attacking unit. The scenario largely recurred against Central Cordoba: 21 shots were attempted, but only 4 were on target, culminating in a scoreless draw. The team excels in ball control, ranking first in the league for average possession (63%), but they consistently struggle to convert this dominance into tangible goals.

Goalkeeping Concerns and Defensive Caution

A critical factor for Argentinos Juniors is the recent injury to their key goalkeeper and captain, Diego Rodriguez. Legendary Sergio Romero was hastily signed as a replacement. However, there’s a significant concern: his last official match was almost a year ago, in November 2024. This notable lack of recent match practice for the new keeper will undoubtedly compel the defense to operate with double caution, a situation that will inevitably impact the team’s overall attacking potential.

Newell’s Old Boys: Deep Crisis Persists

Newell’s Old Boys currently finds itself in a profound playing crisis. The team has secured a mere single victory in their last nine matches, and a recent humiliating 5-0 defeat at the hands of Boca Juniors has only exacerbated their precarious situation. Following such a devastating thrashing, the team failed to regroup and could only manage a 1-1 home draw against Tigre in the subsequent league round.

Blunt Attack and Managerial Pressure

The ‘Leprosos’ attack appears utterly toothless and ineffective. In their match against Tigre, the team generated an xG (expected goals) of merely 1.10, which is an exceptionally low figure for a home game. Manager Cristian Fabbiani is reportedly on the verge of dismissal, and in this precarious situation, his primary objective will undoubtedly be to avoid yet another loss. This suggests the team will likely adopt a highly defensive and cautious tactical approach.

Lack of Attacking Threat

Seasonal statistics further corroborate Newell’s attacking deficiencies. The team ranks last, 30th in the league, for the number of counter-attacks executed. This statistic indicates a complete absence of sharpness and speed in transitioning from defense to offense. Their attacking maneuvers are predictable and easily anticipated by opposing teams, which bodes ill for a match against a side that, despite its own issues, enjoys controlling possession.