Benfica’s Argentine striker Angel di Maria said on Tuesday that he had “everything set” to return to Rosario Central, the club where he made his professional debut, but “threats” made against his family, including a pig’s head with a bullet in its forehead, thwarted the project.
‘El Fideo’ referred to this matter in an interview with Rosario’s Channel 3 – reproduced by the Rosario 3 website -, the first he gave to talk about “the dream of always”, which is to wear the ‘canalla’ shirt for the last time, and the “hard” decision not to do so, taken in March after the first threat made in his hometown against his family.
“There was a threat in my parents’ neighborhood, which was everywhere, and simultaneously there was another threat at my sister’s real estate agency that did not come to light, because my sister and brother-in-law were scared and did not report it. It was a box with a pig’s head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if I returned to Central the next head would be that of my daughter Pía,” said the former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain footballer, among others.
According to Di María, the whole family was excited about returning to Rosario, but the threats “outweighed everything.”
“Just seeing my daughter’s name on a poster and seeing what they sent in a box was beyond anything I could do. Those were horrible months, where we only thought and cried every night about not being able to fulfill our dream,” she said.
Di María demanded respect for his decision, which was heavily criticised by many fans.
“Those who don’t understand it’s because they don’t put themselves in my place for a second, because it’s easy to curse and mistreat on social media without putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. Don’t forget that, before all of their dreams, it was and is my dream and that of my family to return to Rosario,” said ‘el Fideo’.
The former Manchester United and Juventus player also said that he did not want “a life with security” and that “despite everything that is happening in the country,” he made the decision not to return “after personal threats, not because of the insecurity in Rosario.”
The Argentine international, world champion and two-time Copa America winner, declared himself a “Central fan” and left a ray of light for the ‘canallas’ followers: “I’m going to keep trying as long as the doors remain open.”
“I said it and I’ll say it a thousand times more: I want to retire at Central, it’s my dream and that of my family to return. And I had everything discussed with Gonzalo (Belloso, president of the club) to return, everything!, but the threats went beyond all limits. And I explained it to him several times,” he said.
The ‘Scaloneta’ player renewed his contract with Benfica this month, where he will play his second consecutive season on his return to Portuguese football, after playing between 2007 and 2010 with ‘Os Encarnados’, before his time in the Spanish, English, French and Italian leagues.
Buenos Aires / EFE
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2024-07-30 19:07:02
