Alexis Sanchez by Matt Oldfield

Author:Matt Oldfield [Tom and Matt Oldfield]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781786062079
Publisher: John Blake
Published: 2016-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

AN ARGENTINIAN EDUCATION

‘Welcome to River Plate,’ the manager Daniel Passarella said, shaking Alexis’s hand.

Alexis was too nervous to reply; Passarella was a footballing legend, the captain of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup-winning team. It was one thing playing for Colo-Colo, Chile’s biggest club, but playing for River Plate was an even bigger honour and an even bigger challenge. The club had won the Argentinian league a record thirty-five times and finished runners-up thirty times. They had also won lots of international trophies with superstar players like Hernan Crespo and Alexis’s hero Marcelo Salas.

However, when Alexis joined on loan, River Plate hadn’t won a trophy in three years. They had former Argentinian international Ariel Ortega in the squad but otherwise were short on quality and talent. They hoped that Alexis would make a big difference. Everyone had heard about him and the positive comparisons with Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi. The pressure was on.

‘It’s great to have you here,’ Ariel told him at his first training session. He was impressed by how hard Alexis was working. Sometimes really gifted players could be very lazy, but not Alexis. ‘This is a great club and a great league. I just hope you’re ready for the defenders!’

Argentinian football was famous for its tough tackling. Skilful players had to deal with kicks, shirt-pulls, pushes and elbows. ‘Don’t worry about me – I can handle it!’ Alexis replied with confidence.

‘Chileeeno! Chileeeno!’ the River Plate fans chanted as Alexis ran out for his debut. The atmosphere was even better than at Colo-Colo. Alexis couldn’t believe it. He could remember watching Salas playing for River Plate on TV and hearing the incredible noise. Now it was his turn. Every time he got the ball, the crowd cheered and cheered as he dribbled at defenders and fooled them with his many tricks. But as Ariel had warned him, opposition defenders were soon doing anything to stop him. Alexis could usually see the bad tackles coming but he couldn’t always avoid them.

‘I’m not scared and I won’t change the way I play!’ Alexis told Ariel. He had just been to the club physio for treatment on his injured ankle. Alexis would need to rest it for at least a month and he wasn’t happy about it. The Argentinian defenders were fouling him all the time and he was the one being punished for it. It wasn’t fair.

‘No, you should never change your style but it’s about making the right decisions,’ Ariel replied. As a young player, he had gone through the same problems and he was keen to pass on the advice that he had been given. ‘You’ll learn when to run with the ball and when to pass it.’

When they were on international duty together, Marcelo Salas told Alexis the same thing. ‘When you’re young and skilful, defenders are going to hurt you. Never give up on your style of play but you have to be clever and get used to being beaten up!’

Alexis always listened to what his superstar teammates said.

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