You began your career with boyhood club River Plate – how good was that?
It was such a privilege to start out at the club I love. I trained from a young age as a player and person until I made my debut for River. The passion in the stands is part of Argentine culture. We have big problems in the country, including economic ones, but the stadiums are full because enthusiasm is not negotiable. It’s part of our DNA.
Describe a Superclasico with Boca Juniors?
The game isn’t played… it’s lived. It may not be easy on the eye, but every ball is a fight to the death. Aggression is never lacking, nor is bravery. Argentine football has The cultural change was big. I didn’t speak German and didn’t know much about life there. Speaking to local people was hard for my family, too. I went from living with my friends to being at this giant club where I’d train and then go home like everybody else. On a football level I felt a huge difference. At Bayern everyone was an international, which made the competitiveness massive. Training sessions were like games. I wasn’t a starter at first and played in every other match, until the second year when I established myself. The game was faster, more direct. Everyone played with only one or two touches and the transitions were quicker than in Argentina.
