Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both reportedly interested in signing Argentina left back Nicolas Tagliafico.
The Ajax man is rumored to be leaving the club in the summer and two clubs in Spain are being linked to signing the 27 year old. Per a report by Marco Timmer of Vl_nl, both clubs want to sign Tagliafico but Ajax have not yet been approached by either club.
Tagliafico himself has stated that he would like to make a bigger move in Europe.
Al 1,5 jaar wordt Nicolas Tagliafico gelinkt aan Atlético Madrid, nu melden Catalaanse media interesse van Barcelona voor de Argentijn. Bij #Ajax heeft nog niemand zich gemeld. Daar verwachten ze dat dit pas gebeurt als clubs duidelijkheid hebben over dit seizoen en CL-voetbal
Martin Palermo gave an interview with the AFA website where he spoke about his goal vs. Greece at the 2010 World Cup, the famous World Cup qualifier vs. Peru and much more.
Palermo had a rollercoaster ride with the Argentina natiomal team. From missing three penalty kicks at a Copa America to keeping Argentina in the running during the World Cup qualifiers and a goal at a World Cup. Speaking with the AFA, here’s what he had to say:
If he had to put together a special regarding his goals, which goal he scored for the Argentina national team would be in first place?
“For me, the goal vs. Greece is the most important one because it was at a World Cup and I was 36 years old. My parents, my wife, my eldest son, my friends were there. And they were just as emotional as I was. For that reason, playing those minutes in any match was very special. More than anything I have lived as a player, putting on the Argentina national team shirt is something unique.”
With the career he has had, where does the 2010 World Cup place?
“No doubt, South Africa will occupy a place very important in my career. Had I experienced more World Cups when I was younger, the way I look at it would be different. But that Diego (Maradona) picks me at that age to live a World Cup experience was incredible.
“And on top of that, we had Messi in the group, so the hope was greater. People believed that we would go further, as did we. That’s why the elimination was very hurtful.”
Martin Palermo celebrating his goal for Argentina vs. Greece at the 2010 World Cup.
He mentioned Diego and Lionel, who he shared a pitch with. Other than those two, who else did he enjoy playing with in the Argentina national team?
“I have total admiration for them, they are extremely talented and surprise us with everything they do with the ball. After that, during Bielsa’s cycle in 1999, there were great players like Simeone, Roberto Ayala, Mono Burgos, Sorin ans “Kily” Gonzalez.
“I also had the pleasure of sharing the team with my Boca team mates that were at a high level like Román (Riquelme), Guillermo (Barros Schelotto), Samuel and Ibarra.”
If the Copa America that year left a sour taste in his mouth despite scoring several goals?
“We had started with a win vs. Ecuador with two goals which I scored and for me it was incredible that I was being compared to Ronaldo, Iván Zamorano, Salas. Then came that fateful night where I missed three penalty kicks (in the 3-0 loss vs. Colombia) and I felt like everything went to waste. I had to wait many years to be able to change my image with the Argentina national team.”
If the match vs. Peru was the best image he has left with the Argentina national team.
“It was incredible for the context of it: The rain, the wind, the pitch was flooded, se needed to win in order to stay alive in the World Cup qualifiers. Peru’s goal in the 44th minute of the second half was terrible.
“I was substituted in during the second half and I nearly had to come off because of a hit I took to the face. They had to put a cotton ball in my nose because blood was coming out and I couldn’t breathe.
“But finally the match vs. Peru was like a script out of a movie. My goal, Diego’s celebration and my emotions under the flood of rain. It was truly a movie.”
Roberto Ayala gave an interview where he spoke about Lionel Messi’s evolution in the Argentina national team as well as Dennis Bergkamp’s goal for the Netherlands at the 1998 World Cup against Argentina and much more.
Ayala was Messi’s team mate at the 2006 World Cup as well as the 2007 Copa AMerica. The former Argentina captain spoke about the current captain. Speaking with 90, here’s what Ayala had to say:
“Lio likes to be treated like anyone else. He’s a very closed person who has grown a lot in recent times. Today, he’s a leader on and off the pitch.
“When he first started, we were team mates, he practically didn’t speak. What’s more, he would go out and train because he had to. If not, he would have stayed in his room. Today, he participates in everything: He talks with his team mates, he asks them how they are. Even before the matches, he talks a lot.”
On the goal scored by Dennis Bergkamp vs. Argentina:
“I’ve seen that play many times and I still can’t find my mistake. In the penalty area, I didn’t make a mistake. Yes, there’s the incredible ball control by him, an incredible finish. In that play, there are many good things which Bergkamp did that no one gives any importance to, they just see a supposed error by me. What I do admit is that I was badly positioned when the ball came because had I been properly placed, I would have fought for the ball without problems.”
He was also asked about being part of the Argentina national team coaching staff:
“Being back with the Argentina national team as an assist with Scaloni is very special for me because I’ve been there since 1993, when Alfio Basile first called me up. I feel very comfortable. You have to make an effort to be here because you leave aside many things to be able to have the prestige that can only be given to you by this shirt. There is nothing more beautiful than putting on the sky blue and white shirt.”
Andres D’Alessandro has never played at a World Cup and he spoke about it in an interview.
Speaking with TyC Sports, D’Alessandro commented on how he wanted to have played at a World Cup and had Marcelo Bielsa remained as coach, he would have been given the possibility. Here’s what he had to say:
“I would have liked to have played more with the Argentina national team. I never played at a World Cup and that is something I regret during my career. It had to do with things that happened, with coaches that had their players, it had to do with things more than just soccer that happened.
“I know something clearly: Had Marcelo Bielsa continued with the Argentina national team), I would have played at the 2006 World Cup. I would have continued with the Argentina national team for much longer because Marcelo knew how to get to me and the head I had.
“He understood the personality and the character I had, he knew how to get me. In 2006, I played a World Cup qualifier after having lost the Copa America and won the Olympics, I could have shared the pitch and the responsibility with Aimar and Riquelme. I think I had a place.”
D’Alessandro also spoke about not being given a chance for the 2010 World Cup with Maradona as coach:
“I had more of a chance in 2010, I was much more mature, with more games under my belt, many more scars… It was a spectacular year for me, having been the best in America and winning the Libertadores with my club but strange things happened like never having at least been tried for one game.
“During that year, many players had been tried and it was news (that Diego Maradona had called-up more than 100 players to the Argentina national team). It seemed strange not to have been part of any match, it’s something I will tell about in my book.”
Mariano Gonzalez gave an interview with the AFA where he spoke about winning gold with the Argentina national team, playing under Marcelo Bielsa and more.
A veteran of the game, Gonzalez is now 38 years of age playing with Santamarina in Argentina. Winning gold with Argentina at the 2004 Olympics games, Gonzalez spoke of it all in the interview. Here’s what he had to say when asked about it:
“It was a unique experience because our country was without an Olympic gold medal for 52 years. As time passes by, one realizes the importance of it, what it cost to get it. We finished the tournament invincible, without letting in a goal. Truly, we played really well and even that same year we were close to winning the Copa America but lost the final on penalty kicks.”
On why he thinks things went the way they did:
“We were a group which worked long before the start of the tournament, which is something rare to be able to do with a national team. We got to Athens with 7 or 8 months of the group being called up, the coach prioritized that.”
How it was going through it all with Marcelo Bielsa:
“Bielsa had more confidence in me than I did in myself. I think it was a matter of time until I was able to show what I learned with him. He really showed us what he is: Passionate for what he does, a humble guy. I saw him asking for forgiveness from a 17 year old sparring partner for having spoken badly at the time of having to train. He has tremendous values and a beautiful madness to him.”
He was also asked if he was ever part of that madness:
“Yes, clearly. He had things that for us, it was very difficult to understand. The first time he called me up, all of the forwards were together and he asked us who would go back and defend when we had to. I told him I had to stay up and close to the goal and he responded telling me: “You have three goals in the Primera, you have to run.”
Gonzalez played alongside many who had great careers. But if he had to pick one, who would it be?
“I have to say two: Tevez and Mascherano. But the truth is that I share a team with many important guys like Kily Gonzalez, Roberto Ayala, Javier Zanetti. Over time, you end up analyzing things in a different way. Today, I see how a lot of kids leave everything behind in order to win a spot in the main team, how they try hard.
“I was lucky enough to have been able to play in great teams in our country, to have had a career in Europe and to have lived beautiful times with the Argentina national team. I’d say experience makes you value more the things you achieved.”
