It’s just different football. It’s a little bit quicker here, it’s end to end here whereas in Argentina they play with the ball a bit more in midfield. It’s different, but both styles are good. I like both.
Do you prefer playing here though?
Well in Argentina the economic problems are well-known, so it’s quite dangerous to live there at the moment. Being here is safer. The environment you have here in England is great, the people are really nice.
And does the style of training and whole footballer lifestyle differ here from South America?
It is different, but you get used to it. You see all the bad things happening over there on the news you get afraid, but if you’re living in the middle of it it’s different, you just adapt to it, incorporate it. Argentina is a very nice country, so it’s a huge pity that so many things are going wrong. A lot of people are leaving Argentina and coming to Europe or the USA.
Is there more pressure on footballers in England?
Again, the pressure is different. In Argentina you need to win because if you don’t they might not pay you! Then there’s the fans – if you don’t win they get really mad and threaten things. I’ve never seen anything actually happen, but you never know. There’s a lot of pressure here, too, but it’s different. You have to win every game, but not because you won’t get paid. You can enjoy playing a bit more here.
What do you miss most about South America?
I miss my friends and family most.
And the weather?
Not so much. Winter in Argentina and Uruguay can be very cold too. Sometimes you have nice days in winter in Argentina, but you can have nice days here too.
Your English is pretty good. Where did you learn?
I learnt it at school, from a very early age.
What is your favourite English expression? Have the local lads taught you any Manchester slang?
I listen to them, and ask them when they say something I don’t understand! I can’t think of any particular phrase now, but you pick things up just from listening them talk to each other.
Who do you get on best with at United?
I get on well with all the lads – I don’t want to say one name as I might upset someone! Everyone here is very kind, they help if you need anything. It’s good to have people like Seba and Ricardo around to speak Spanish with, maybe I talk to them a little bit more than everyone else.