After the impressive victory by Argentina over Mexico in the round of 16, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez provided news conference comments that were published by the Buenos Aires news daily, Clarin. Maradona deftly evaded a question about the apparent offside position of Carlos Tevez on the first Argentinean goal. Leo Messi gave an honest assessment. Tevez did not comment whether his first goal was offside or not in this particular segment.
Diego Maradona: “I don’t have starters or substitutes.”
“Tengo una excelente relación con los 23 jugadores. No tengo ni titulares ni suplentes… Argentina fue superior durante los 90 minutos y no pasamos sobresaltos. Felicité a mis jugadores porque estaban haciendo bien las cosas, teniendo bien la pelota, pasándola muy bien. Todo el equipo se movió cómodo con el resultado y ganamos muy bien”.
“I have an excellent rapport with the 23 players. I don’t have starters or substitutes…
Argentina was better over the 90 minutes and we weren’t startled. I’m very happy for my players because they are doing good things, holding the ball well and passing very well. The whole side moved about comfortably with the result and we won in style.”
On the Apparent Offside Position by Carlos Tevez: “I feel the same way when they don’t let Messi play..”
¿Podés entender el fastidio del vasco Aguirre por el off side?, se le preguntó. Y Maradona aprovechó la pregunta para defender a su máxima figura:
“Lo mismo siento yo cuando a Messi no lo dejan jugar y le pegan terribles patadas y el árbitro no dice absolutamente nada. ¿Volvemos 20 años atrás? ¿Volvemos a lo de Gentile? (por el defensor italiano que lo marcó en España 82). Cuando Messi agarra la pelota le van a las piernas, no miran ni la pelota. Yo me preocupo mucho más por que no lo lastimen a Messi que por si un línea se equivoca en un off side”.
Translation:
Can he understand the annoyance of Javier Aguirre for the offside? He was asked. And Maradona took advantage of the question to defend his star player:
“I feel the same way when they don’t let Messi play and strike him with terrible kicks and the referee says absolutely nothing. Are we going 20 years in the past? Are we going back to Claudio Gentile (the Italian defender that man-marked Maradona during the 1982 World Cup). When Messi takes the ball, they go for his legs and don’t even look at the ball. It worries me a great deal more that they don’t complain about Messi instead if a referee’s assistant made a mistake on an offside.”
Leo Messi: “I thought they would negate the goal…”
“Nosotros lo fuimos a buscar el partido, por eso provocamos los errores de ellos y los pudimos aprovechar. Se ganó, que es lo importante y ahora hay que pensar en Alemania… No me sentí tan bien como en otros partidos. Es cierto que este fue diferente a los demás, no tuvimos tanto la pelota“.
“We went out looking to play the game and for this, we helped to cause their errors and we took advantage. The game was won. That is the important thing and now you have to think of Germany… I didn’t feel as well as in other games. It is certain that this one was different to the others. We didn’t have as much possession.”
“Pensé que lo anulaban porque estaban mirando la tele de arriba, pero por suerte no y fue gol“.
“I thought that they would negate the goal (by Tevez) because they were looking at the big screen above. But luckily, they didn’t and it was a goal.”
“Diego me dijo que me quería más suelto, que bajara a buscar la pelota pero que no olvidara que soy delantero. Necesitaba un partido así, tengo hambre de gloria. No entendí el cambio, pero son calenturas del momento… Fueron dos goles importantes, se me abrió el arco. Por suerte pude convertir“.
“Diego told me that he wanted me to be more flexible. To come back for the ball but not to forget that I am a striker. A game like this was needed. I am hungry for glory. I didn’t understand the substitution but they are made in the heat of the moment… They were two important goals. I freed myself above the arch (half-moon area above the box ). Luckily, I was able to convert them.”
Spanish source: Clarin de Buenos Aires, June 28, 2010.
Steve Amoia is a freelance writer, editor and translator from Washington, D.C. He writes the World Football Commentaries blog. He has written for AC Cugini Scuola Calcio (Italian soccer school), Football Media, Keeper Skool and Soccerlens.
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