The Arouca Chronicle
Boardroom31 May 2027
The silence upstairs is getting loud at Arouca
Nobody on the board has said anything against the manager, which is the point — they have stopped saying anything for him either.
Squad31 May 2027
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.
Squad31 May 2027
Words at Arouca training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Naïs Djouahra 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.
Market31 May 2027
A season away well spent by Diogo Monteiro
24 games, 0 goals, and a squad option that has arrived without a fee attached. The interesting question at Arouca now is not whether he plays but who he displaces.
The dugout31 May 2027
Iván Barbero 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.
The dugout31 May 2027
Mateo Flores knocks on the manager's door
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Arouca, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Market31 May 2027
A year gone for Miguel Puche
The loan was meant to give him football. 4 games and 0 goals later he is back at Arouca no further forward, and everybody involved will explain why it was not their doing.
Market31 May 2027
The Taichi Fukui talk will not go away
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Arouca know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
The dugout31 May 2027
Miguel Puche gets picked when it counts
Every manager keeps a short list in his head of the men he wants on the pitch when the stakes rise, and it is never published. The team sheets for the big afternoons say Miguel Puche is on it.
In brief
- The dugout The manager makes Bruno Tiago a promise
- Squad Questions about Eduardo on the training pitch
- Squad Mario Climent is training like a man with a point to make