The eyes of every football fan in Argentina are looking at the exciting Torneo Apertura's final round (here at Mundo Albiceleste we don't cover the local league and if you're interested I recommend you visit Sam Kelly's Hasta El Gol Siempre, the excellent English-language website with all the information about the Argentine league: http://hastaelgolsiempre.com).
In the meantime, Diego MARADONA gets to work and on Thursday, he has revealed a list of 14 players that will be working with him at the Ezeiza AFA's training facilities from next Tuesday (depending on what happens on Sunday with the Apertura and pending a possible playoff to decide the champion).
What Diego wants is to see these players in action in a friendly against Tristán Suárez (a team from the Primera B Metropolitana -third tier-).
Here are the 14 players chosen by Diego:
Goalkeepers: Agustín ORION (San Lorenzo), Mariano ANDUJAR (Estudiantes de La Plata).
Defenders: Juan FORLIN (Boca Juniors), Matías CARUZZO (Argentinos Juniors), Christian VILLAGRA (River Plate), Marcos ANGELERI (Estudiantes de La Plata) and Emiliano PAPA (Vélez Sarsfield).
Midfielders: Franco ZUCULINI, Maximiliano MORALEZ (Racing Club), Néstor ORTIGOZA (Argentinos Juniors), Jesús DÁTOLO (Boca Jrs.), Daniel MONTENEGRO (Independiente) and Sebastián BLANCO (Lanús).
Forwards: Gonzalo BERGESSIO (San Lorenzo).
Some very exciting prospects there, including Franco "Baby MASCHERANO" ZUCULINI, who is also working with BATISTA with the U20 and a few surprises like tough-tackling Néstor ORTIGOZA, from Diego's alma mater Argentinos Juniors and the mercurial Sebastián BLANCO from Lanús.
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4 comments:
What happen with Maxi Moralez. Is he still good now?
I love to see him play at U20 world cup. I think he do the most in attacking and Ever Banega control midfield very well with assist and good tackles.
I hope both will play for Arsenal or Ajax since the teams really care about their youngsters
Sir Raul
Hi Sir Raul.
Being a fan of Racing Club I've seen most of Maxi MORALEZ's matches at club level.
He was brilliant when he first started. Went to Canada, won the Youth World Cup and, in my opinion, was better than AGUERO in that tournament. Got sold to FC Moscow in Russia for something like 7 million US Dollars, failed to settled and returned to Racing Club on loan.
His performances during the first tournament back from Russia (the Clausura 2008) was way below his average.
He scored a crucial goal to save Racing from relegation and in this Apertura he's got back to his usual level of form and he's been amazing (even though he sometimes tends to disappear from a match from time to time).
He'll play Friday night for Racing (at Newell's) and that will be his last match at the club before returning to Russia.
As for BANEGA, after being sold from Boca Jrs. to Valencia, he failed to earn himself a first-team starting role and got sent to Atlético Madrid where he is still fighting for a place in the starting lineup.
Regarding their status as "youngsters"...well...maybe in the past they could have been considered as youngsters being 20 years old. In football these days...a 20-year old guy is already a veteran!
Look at both of them and the many things they have won or played!
Maybe an European 20-year old footballer is widely considered as young and inexperienced because they tend to get less chances to play in the first team. In Argentina they make their debut at 16 or 17 and that's why Argentina is the predominant force in the Youth World Cup. Our players get to the Youth World Cup with probably more than 100 Primera Division matches under their belts, with Copa Libertadores experience and Superclásicos and you name it. Then they have to face boys from England, Spain, Italy or Germany that hardly made it to the first division and are overwhelmed by the experience to play in a tournament like a Youth World Cup.
Don't forget that many top football academy in Europe also brings in plenty of Argentinean players to their club.
Lionel MESSI is a great example of this.
Nice to see players in the local league get the chance. Diego is working hard. Good for him. He's looks so healthy and calm it's unbelievable.
I love Maxi Moralez. He was the best player for Racing in the match against Boca. What a tiny dynamite. I think he is everything for Racing at times.
I agree with Seba that he was better than Kun in YWC 2007 in Canada and should be player of the tournament in my opinion.
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