The Apache began its tenure with a jolting arrival on the Canalla banks, arriving abruptly and delivering results that spoke loudly.
Following Ricardo Zielinski’s resignation after the League Cup debut, Independiente faced an urgent search for a new coach. After a handful of candidacies fell through, including strong names like Ariel Holan and Gabriel Milito, Carlos Tevez was finally confirmed as the head coach.
Tevez inherits a team that must answer under pressure. The Apache is set to confront a critical tiebreaker scenario alongside Huracán and Colón to determine which club might slip to the First National. Thirteen matches remain in a sprint that promises to be deeply engaging for fans.
His only previous coaching stint came at Rosario Central, and it arrived amid controversy, with initial plans to bring in Carlos “Chapa” Retegui, who eventually chose not to embark on the project.
Tevez stepped into management with his first game just 72 hours after taking office, on 24 June 2022, resulting in a 1-0 defeat to Gimnasia La Plata at Gigante de Arroyito during the fifth date of the Professional League season. While there was a notable victory in the clásico against Newell’s, the team was eliminated from the Argentine Cup and struggled to find consistency in performances. The turnaround began after a 3-1 win over Barracas Central, a match played with ten men for a long stretch, followed by a goalless draw at La Bombonera against Boca Juniors.
Rosario Central finished the Professional League season slightly better than where Tevez had inherited it, and momentum grew as the coach integrated a larger group of youth players, placed trust in familiar faces—such as standout Facundo Buonanotte—and steered the squad through tough moments on promising stages.
The duel at La Boca is remembered alongside another heartbreaker, a 4-3 loss in the Cilindro de Avellaneda to Racing, a draw at the José Fierro with Atlético Tucumán, and the memorable victory over River Plate at the Monumental that briefly blunted Marcelo Gallardo’s farewell to his supporters.
Amid a tense political climate surrounding the club’s upcoming elections, Tevez decided to end his stay at Rosario Central after the 2022 Professional League season concluded. He sat on the bench for under six months, choosing to step aside for the club’s new leadership to steer the project.
“I step aside to think about the club. It is not helpful for anyone if I stay, and the incoming leadership must make the decisions. I don’t want to be an obstacle for anyone. It seems to me the most sensible move for Central is to let them do what they want,” Tevez explained at a press conference. He added, “I did not come here to engage in politics; my name being tied to the club’s politics was not my doing.”
THEIR NUMBERS, IN DETAIL:
ALL MATCHES OF TEVEZ IN ROSARIO CENTRAL:
- 24-06-2022 – Rosario Central 0-1 Gimnasias LP | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 07/04/2022 – Aldosivi 2-1 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 07/08/2022 – Rosario Central 1-0 Sarmiento | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 16-07-2022 – Independiente 0-0 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 2022-07-21 – Rosario Central 1-0 Newell’s | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 26-07-2022 – Arsenal 0-3 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 01/08/2022 – Rosario Central 0-3 Cordoba Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 08/04/2022 – Rosario Central 1-1 (2-4) Quilmes | Argentina Cup 2022
- 08/08/2022 – Tigre 3-1 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 13-08-2022 – Rosario Central 3-1 Barracas Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 17-08-2022 – Boca 0-0 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 22-08-2022 – Rosario Central 0-1 Banfield | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 27-07-2022 – San Lorenzo 1-1 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 09/03/2022 – Rosario Central 1-0 Workshops | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 09/08/2022 – Argentinos 2-1 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 09/15/2022 – Rosario Central 1-1 Students | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 09/20/2022 – Supervisory Board -0 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 25-09-2022 – Rosario Central 1-1 Platense | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 30-09-2022 – Racing 4-3 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 10/03/2022 – Rosario Central 1-1 Union | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 10/10/2022 – Rosario Central 0-0 Defense and Justice | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 13-10-2022 – Atlético Tucumán 1-1 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 10/16/2022 – River 1-2 Rosario Central | LPF 2022 Tournament
- 10/24/2022 – Rosario Central 1-1 Colón | LPF 2022 Tournament
Note: Matches are listed to reflect Tevez’s coaching tenure and the team’s results during that period.