Since the days when “El Ogro” returned from Turkey to play for River Plate and later Newell’s Old Boys — the club he now manages — Cristian Fabbiani has never stopped making headlines. And recent events show he’s far from stepping out of the spotlight he’s grown used to.

Following his team’s recent win over Boca Juniors at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa, Fabbiani hasn’t let go of Boca boss Fernando Gago, continuing to fan the flames with his latest comments after Gago's analysis of the loss in Rosario. Fabbiani — who also led his team into the next round of the Copa Argentina — accused his coaching counterpart of being disrespectful.

Just minutes after Newell’s edged Kimberley of Mar del Plata on penalties (5–4) to reach the Round of 32 in Argentina’s most inclusive tournament, Fabbiani reignited the war of words.

“I was responding to some comments from the opposing coach. I’m a coach now, and I would never disrespect a colleague. But I felt attacked. When someone questions my work, the player in me still comes out — although I know I have to work on that because I’m not a player anymore,” he told TyC Sports.

What irked the former River and Lanús striker was Gago’s tactical analysis of Newell’s defensive setup.

“They had a back five, plus two or three midfielders dropping deep. It was hard to break through the middle. Against a low block, it’s really difficult to create quick chances — you need one-on-one situations and space to exploit,” Gago had said post-match.

Those remarks didn’t sit well with Fabbiani, who took them as a slight and responded sharply.

“I think we were the better team and could’ve won by a larger margin. But when you talk about my players and my work, that doesn’t sit right with me,” he said. “I just praised the way Kimberley played against us — and I’ll never disrespect anyone.”

He continued: “If I had more points, maybe I’d set my team up differently. But right now, we have to roll up our sleeves and work. I’m at peace because I understand the code of football. I played professionally for 20 years — now I’m a coach. I respect my job, my staff, and my players. And when someone messes with what I love, I speak up — because I’m protecting what I care about.”