Newell’s Old Boys presented striker Darío “Pipa” Benedetto as a new signing on 12 June. The former Boca Juniors forward said manager Cristian “Ogro” Fabbiani initiated the move with a direct message on Instagram, and he joined the Rosario club as a free agent after a short spell at Olimpia of Paraguay. Benedetto debuted on 3 July in the International Football Cup semifinal against Mazatlán FC at the Estadio Luis Pirata Fuente in Veracruz. He started the match but left after roughly half an hour, signalling a physical discomfort that forced his replacement by Thiago Gigena. Newell’s failed to recover from the early setback and fell 1–0, with Colombian midfielder Nicolás Benedetti settling the game for the Mexican side with a long-range strike. Mazatlán advanced to the tournament final, while Fabbiani’s team will face the loser of Cruz Azul versus Once Caldas as it continues preseason preparations.