Revista Fútbol Federal | By Mateo Ledesma
Investigating Whether Daniel Vega’s Winter Gamble Paid Off
When Daniel Vega walked into the winter transfer window with a clear brief — experience, leadership, spine — it marked the most obvious evolution of Huracán’s project since Gabriel Batistuta took charge. After three Aperturas defined by volatility, youth learning curves and recurring defensive fragility, this was the moment the club deliberately leaned away from development-first and toward immediate competitive stability.
The question now, with the Torneo Apertura complete and Huracán sitting proudly at the summit of the table, is unavoidable:
Did it work?
The Winter Window: Building a Spine
Vega targeted five positions and filled them all with seasoned professionals:
- Agustín Rossi (GK, 32) – $2.7m
- Ignacio Vázquez (RCB, 30) – $1.4m
- Jorge Rodríguez (DM, 32) – $2.9m
- Agustín Palavecino (RCM, 31) – Free
- Nicolás Ibáñez (ST, 33) – $1.5m
The logic was simple: insulate Batistuta’s high-risk, high-possession system with experience that could manage game states, guide younger players, and reduce the volatility that had undermined previous campaigns.
The Results: Numbers That Demand Respect
Huracán finished top of the Torneo Apertura:
- 11 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses
- Goal difference: +15
- 33 goals scored, 18 conceded
On the surface, this is the strongest Apertura of the Batistuta era, not just in position, but in balance.
Individual Analysis: Did Experience Deliver?
Agustín Rossi – Stability Without Perfection
Rossi played 11 matches, keeping 5 clean sheets and conceding 15 goals.
While not flawless, context matters. Diego Enríquez had managed 3 clean sheets before his departure, and Meza recorded 1 clean sheet in his sole appearance. Rossi did not revolutionise the position but he normalised it. Commanding his area, communicating clearly, and offering composure in build-up, he reduced the chaos that had plagued Huracán between the posts in previous seasons.
Ignacio Vázquez – The Defensive Anchor
Vázquez played all 16 matches, emerging as one of the league’s most statistically effective defenders.
- Strong across tackles, interceptions, and clearances
- Comfortable in possession
- The only notable weakness: headers won per 90 below league average
Yet even this flaw was mitigated by his positioning and partnership with Carrizo. For the first time under Batistuta, Huracán’s defensive line looked organised rather than reactive.
Jorge Rodríguez – The Destroyer Huracán Needed
Rodríguez played 16 matches, and his role could not be clearer.
- League leader in tackles attempted and won
- Pass completion: 92.9%
- 5.5 progressive passes per 90
Creatively, he offered nothing and that was entirely the point. Rodríguez absorbed pressure, killed counterattacks, and recycled possession to the technicians ahead of him. In doing so, he allowed Batistuta’s system to function without structural collapse.
Agustín Palavecino – The Missing Conductor
Palavecino’s impact has been transformative:
- 16 matches
- 7 goals, 3 assists
- League leader in key passes
Operating alongside Tahiel Peralta, Palavecino became the creative hinge of the team. Rodríguez won the ball; Palavecino and Peralta weaponised it. This midfield triangle did more to stabilise Huracán’s performances than any tactical tweak.
Nicolás Ibáñez – Depth with Purpose
Ibáñez played 13 matches, scoring 7 goals and assisting 2.
Crucially, he allowed Emilio Aristizábal to rest, something Huracán lacked in previous seasons. Ibáñez was not brought in to replace the future, but to protect it.
The Knock-On Effect: Experience Elevating Youth
Perhaps the most compelling evidence that Vega’s strategy worked lies not in the new signings themselves, but in how others responded.
- Daniel González has thrived alongside Vázquez and Carrizo.
- Alan Morínigo added end product: 5 assists in 16 games.
- Deiber Caicedo exploded: 7 goals, 4 assists.
- Brian Aguirre continued his resurgence: 7 goals, 5 assists.
- Emilio Aristizábal has 14 goals in all competitions, attracting Europe’s elite.
This is what experience is supposed to do: raise the floor so talent can raise the ceiling.
Playoffs & Pain: Progress Without Perfection
Huracán’s Apertura ended in familiar heartbreak.
A 5–0 demolition of Gimnasia (LP) ignited belief, only for a 3–4 last-minute defeat to Independiente Rivadavia to shatter it. Progress was undeniable but so was the lingering fragility in knockout moments.
Copa Libertadores: The Strongest Evidence Yet
In continental competition, the transformation was unmistakable.
Huracán topped a group containing Universidad de Chile, Independiente Santa Fe, and Caracas:
- 4 wins, 1 draw, 1 defeat
- 16 goals scored, 6 conceded
For a team previously defined by defensive exposure, this was a statement.
Verdict: Has Vega’s Gamble Paid Off?
Compared to the first three Aperturas under Batistuta, this is the clearest upward trajectory yet:
- Best league position
- Improved defensive balance
- Midfield control
- Youth flourishing, not stalling
The data supports the eye test: this is a more mature, more resilient Huracán. Vega did not abandon the project, he fortified it.
The question now is not whether the winter window worked.
It is whether Huracán can finally convert progress into silverware and whether this blend of experience and youth is sustainable beyond one glorious Apertura.
For the first time in years, that feels like the right problem to have.
The Gaffers Lounge 
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