Ángel di María, Manchester United’s vibrant attacker, warned his Argentine friends in the City camp that there are “no friendships out on the pitch” in Sunday’s Manchester derby. “You are defending the pride of your colours,’’ said United’s No 7.
A quarter of Argentina’s World Cup outfield contingent could be involved at the Etihad. Along with his United team-mate Marcos Rojo, Di María knows Pablo Zabaleta, Sergio Agüero and Martín Demichelis well.
“We’ve got good friendships over the years and no matter what the colour of your shirt, you still see each other socially,’’ said Di María. “But once you’re on the field, you forget all that. Everyone is fighting for the shirt.’’
Friends for life, but rivals for 90 minutes, will embrace beforehand. “When we see each other in the tunnel before games, I think it’s right to say ‘Hi’ and greet each other – whether it’s an ex-team-mate or a good friend,’’ Di María added. “That’s normal, as long as you remember that you fight for the club and the shirt once the 90 minutes start.”
Zabaleta smiled wanly at the mention that he is likely to be facing Di María. “It’s tough, hard,’’ said the City right-back. “He’s a really good player, quick with great technique. He’s one of those players that defenders find really difficult to play against. You need the perfect day to stop players like him. I will try to play as good as I can.”
Zabaleta, Di María and Rojo turned coaches for the afternoon on Friday, helping out a Premier League Kicks session at Manchester College, Ardwick. With the derby looming, the emphasis was on a city united. Di María flicked balls up for youngsters from the City in the Community scheme to practise their finishing and congratulated them warmly when they scored.
Zabaleta did the same with kids from the Manchester United Foundation. As a local in an Argentina shirt looked on transfixed, Rojo rolled the ball into the path of City youngsters.
“When we do things like this, especially with the kids, it’s great to see the relationship between both clubs,’’ Zabaleta said. “We know about the rivalry. For fans this is the game they are looking for. Two big clubs in the same city, big rivals. This is the special game for the fans, so we will try 100 per cent to win to let the fans celebrate.’’
Having arrived six years ago, Zabaleta knows the city well, so well that Di María got in touch with him for some local knowledge when considering United’s offer while at Real Madrid in August. “Angel texted me to ask about the city, to ask things of someone who has been living here for a long time, so I could help with some information.”
Di María said nobody at City, not even friends such as Zabaleta, Agüero or Demichelis, tried to tempt him to the Etihad. “No, there was never any contact anywhere else,’’ Di María said. “The people who came with all the paperwork, signed and ready, showing real eagerness to sign me were United. As soon as I heard of their interest, there was no question of me going anywhere else.
“As a player, you’re always going to go somewhere if the club really want to sign you and show willing by putting that amount of money on the table. I think the figure was €75 million (£59.7 million). It would be hard for any club to turn that down – even Real Madrid. I felt from the word go that I was going somewhere where I’d be really loved. I’m not saying that I wasn’t loved in Madrid – but that kind of interest that Manchester United showed is hard to turn down.”
He was also indebted to Louis van Gaal. “It was him who showed that confidence in me by wanting to sign me,’’ Di María said.
Having enjoyed Di María’s company on the 3G pitch in Ardwick, Zabaleta was looking forward to seeing his friend again – after tomorrow’s game. “We’ve known each for many years,’’ Zabaleta said. “I was so happy when he signed for United because he was really excited to come here and play in the Premier League. When I see him happy, I will be happy as well – off the field.
“He’s been busy so it has been difficult to meet. He lives in Prestbury, I live in Alderley Edge, just five minutes away. Marcos lives in Hale, a little bit far from where we are. Kun has moved to Hale now. When everything is settled we will all get together. We’re Argentinians, we like to meet each other, to do barbecues. I’m thinking now of opening an Argentinian restaurant!”
He has not tried to persuade Di María of the joys of English fish and chips. “Not yet. He’s that thin. Probably he will try it.’’
Di María may be a stranger to the joys of battered cod but he is very familiar with the scraps of derby day. He has played in crosstown duels in Madrid with Real, in Lisbon with Benfica and the Clásico Rosarino featuring his Rosario Central side against Newell’s Old Boys.
“Derby games can be a nightmare over there,’’ said Di María of that Argentine fixture that dates back to 1905. “If you lost, it would be a case of not only not going out of the house for two or three days, maybe even two or three weeks, to get it out of your system. Everyone would really suffer if you lost – and didn’t want to show their faces to the fans.
“I played in two of these. I was on the winning side on one occasion – so obviously was very happy. But I also know what it’s like to lose. And that feeling of having to stay in the house for two or three days because of the disappointment of the fans. We will be doing our absolute best to make sure the red half of the city is happy at the end of the game.”
Di María’s importance to a cause is well known by Zabaleta. The World Cup final against Germany could have been different had Di María not damaged his thigh in the quarter-final win over Belgium. “It would have made a big difference if he’d been fit for the final,’’ Zabaleta said.
“It would have been great for us. He was one of the key players in the World Cup. When we played Germany, with the way they defended very solidly, we needed quick players to play on the counter-attack. Ángel is one of those players who never stops running, never stops going forward, attacking the space. He’s just unbelievable. Germany were a great team but with a player like Ángel we would have had something different.”
Many back home will be tuning in on Sunday. “Argentinian people love the Premier League, they watch all the games and especially now because they can see a lot of Argentinian players,’’ Zabaleta continued. “They feel proud. All we have to do is our job well and show how good we are for the next generations. We have to work 100 per cent to demonstrate to Argentinian people we love football, we play with passion, and we play in the most competitive league in the world.’’
Yet City are in a poor run of form, drawing with CSKA Moscow in the Champions League, losing to West Ham in the Premier League and then going out of the Capital One Cup to Newcastle United. “This is strange,’’ said Zabaleta. “We have a strong squad and great players to do much better than we have done the last three games.
"We must be more consistent as a team. Individual performances have not been great this season and when you don’t play well as a team, it’s difficult collectively. We know as players we should improve our performances. We were very unlucky to lose David Silva [knee] for this game because he was probably one of our best, most consistent players this season.
“Sunday is just about winning. It means we can get the confidence back – it’s something we need at the moment. We cannot drop points because of the race with Chelsea. United is the best team we can have [to play] now. It’s a special game. It is special for the fans.
"It’s the game everyone is waiting for. If you look at the form of both teams it is 50-50. United is one of the big contenders for the top four and maybe also for the league. But we are the champions, we play at the Etihad, the atmosphere will be great and we play with our fans behind us.”
And with Di María running at him. “If you do win there will be plenty of stick given out – and banter post-match,’’ said Di María. “But the real reason you want to give everything on the field is so your own fans go away happy.”
First-team players from both Manchester clubs were on hand to take part in a Premier League Kicks session between City in the Community and the Manchester United Foundation.
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