We jumped into a taxi heading southwest toward the barrio of Mataderos, the neighbourhood that Club Atlético Nueva Chicago calls home. Historically, this was seen as the gateway to the last stop before arriving in the newly developing city. It was a hub where gauchos gathered to sell their rural goods via the slaughterhouses.Much like the gauchos of old, the Estadio Nueva Chicago would be my final groundhopping stop on this unforgettable sojourn in Buenos Aires.
Discovering El Torito
While researching for my podcast, The Journeymen, about Rosario-based Newell’s Old Boys, I discovered El Torito (“The Little Bull”) through their Barra Brava’s friendly relations with other groups.
However, I would later uncover—and be told firsthand—that Nueva Chicago has a notorious reputation, shaped by murky stories of extreme violence, death, and in-house group conflicts.
Thankfully, I was lucky enough to connect with a wonderful local analogue photographer, Daniel (@chicagoanalogico), who graciously took my friend and me under his wing.
Paper Tickets and Padre Chueco
After visiting the tiny ticket office window outside the ground, we were given a short introduction to the club. Paper tickets were ripped at the corner, and almost immediately, we were greeted by one of the club’s most iconic characters—Padre Chueco.
He carried a shrine of the Virgin Mary, draped in green and black, upon his head. We all paid our respects as we passed.
Days later, I was told he had attended weekly protests by retirees in Argentina, opposing austerity measures from the current government. Sadly, he was beaten by police while praying alongside priests during a demonstration.
My thoughts go out to Chueco as I write these words.
Smoke, Fireworks & La Gloriosa Banda
The Barra Brava were already in full motion underneath the stands—people flailing arms, bellowing poetic chants in honour of Chicago.
We squeezed through the sea of green and black, climbing the terracing of the Mercado de Hacienda stand behind the goal.
From there, we watched as La Gloriosa Banda de Chicago, the club’s main supporter group, made their slow procession along the pitch to their place in the República de Mataderos.
Green and black smoke machines filled the air, fireworks popped in the background, and the entire stadium burst into song:
“Chicago, mi buen amigo, Esta campaña volveremos a estar contigo!”
A Tough Match
As the game kicked off, things settled slightly around us, but the Barra Brava never slowed down.
I leaned over to Daniel for a score prediction, and with a wry smile, he wasn’t hopeful. And he was right.
Deportivo Morón took a 2–0 lead before half-time, yet the noise and fanfare from the fans around us remained completely unaffected.
Chicago would rally late on as Morón were reduced to 10 men, but all they could muster was a 92nd-minute consolation goal, lacking the cutting edge when it mattered most.
Sunset Over Mataderos
As the evening sun began to set, it cast a pastel-coloured sky over this gritty second division clash.
The result wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but the experience was unforgettable. A lovely, tight-knit community of fans supporting their local club with unmatched passion.
If you find yourself in Buenos Aires, don’t hesitate—get yourself to Nueva Chicago.
All our thanks to Joey Corlett.
To see more of Joey’s work, please visit joeycorlett
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