The Arouca Chronicle
Player ratings28 Sep 2026
Naïs Djouahra beats them one at a time
Successful dribbles: 25. There was always a defender in front of him and there was never a defender in front of him for long.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Ignacio de Arruabarrena in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Arouca this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad28 Sep 2026
A move Alexis Sinisterra would have made for nothing
There is a version of every career where the player ends up somewhere he chose rather than somewhere that chose him. Alexis Sinisterra is living that version at Arouca, and it tends to show in the first month.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Words at Arouca training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Espen van Ee is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Market28 Sep 2026
No place for Pedro Santos in the plan
“The manager did not use many words, and he did not need to.” Pedro Santos has his answer from Arouca; what he does with it is the next window’s story.
The dugout28 Sep 2026
Pablo Gozálbez gets it from the manager
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad28 Sep 2026
Alexis Sinisterra signs a new deal
“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Alexis Sinisterra commits to Arouca for another 4 years.
Player ratings28 Sep 2026
Javi Sánchez was the difference for Arouca
Marked 7.35. Ask anyone leaving the ground what settled it and you will get one name, which is the only award that has ever really counted.
Market28 Sep 2026
Arouca sign Yeifer Herrera, one for the future
Yeifer Herrera is 20, and Arouca have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.
In brief
- The dugout Arouca pick somebody else ahead of João Gonçalves
- The dugout The manager’s verdict
- Match Point won or two lost for Arouca?