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Ángel di María claims Real Madrid asked him to miss World Cup final Ángel di María claims Real Madrid asked him to miss World Cup final
(about 2 hours later)
Ángel di María has claimed his former club Real Madrid put pressure on Argentina not to play him in the World Cup final in another bitter chapter in his departure from the Spanish giants. Ángel di María has claimed his former club Real Madrid put pressure on Argentina not to play him in the World Cup final in another bitter chapter in his departure from the La Liga club.
Di María joined Manchester United from Real last month for a British record fee of £59.7m with the Spanish club’s president, Florentino Pérez, saying the winger’s demands for a new contract were too steep.Di María joined Manchester United from Real last month for a British record fee of £59.7m with the Spanish club’s president, Florentino Pérez, saying the winger’s demands for a new contract were too steep.
“There was a letter from Madrid that arrived at 11 in the morning of the match day, we were due to play at 4 in the afternoon … was putting ice on my leg to be in the final,” Di María told Argentine radio station America on Friday, suggesting the club did not want him to aggravate a leg injury. “There was a letter from Madrid that arrived at 11 in the morning of the match day, we were due to play at four in the afternoon … I was putting ice on my leg to be in the final,” Di María told the Argentinian radio station America on Friday, suggesting the club did not want him to aggravate a leg injury.
“I tore up the letter as soon as it was given to me and didn’t take any notice of it, I didn’t care what might happen, but it was [the coach] Alejandro’s [Sabella] decision,” he said. “I didn’t want to make any demands of him but I also didn’t want to leave the team a man short five minutes from a very important match.“ “I tore up the letter as soon as it was given to me and didn’t take any notice of it, I didn’t care what might happen, but it was [the coach] Alejandro’s [Sabella] decision,” he said.
Di María, whose goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland in the last 16, suffered a leg muscle injury during the 1-0 quarter-final win over Belgium and took no further part in the tournament. “I didn’t want to make any demands of him but I also didn’t want to leave the team a man short five minutes from a very important match.“
Argentina lost the final 1-0 after extra time to Germany at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on July 13. Di María, whose goal gave Argentina a 1-0 win over Switzerland in the last 16, suffered a leg muscle injury during the 1-0 quarter-final defeat of Belgium and took no further part in the tournament. Argentina went on to lose the final 1-0 after extra time to Germany at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on 13 July.
“I suffered a lot that morning, it was the worst thing that’s happened to me in my life in footballing [terms] because reaching another final is very difficult, not to say impossible,” María said.“I suffered a lot that morning, it was the worst thing that’s happened to me in my life in footballing [terms] because reaching another final is very difficult, not to say impossible,” María said.
“The letter was handed to[late Argentine FA president] Julio [Grondona] and he said if I wanted to play I should do so anyway. From what I understand it had something to do with insurance.“ “The letter was handed to [late Argentina FA president] Julio [Grondona] and he said if I wanted to play I should do so anyway. From what I understand it had something to do with insurance.”
Later on Friday, Julio Grondona Jr accused Pérez of wanting to intimidate the AFA into not fielding Di María, who was man of the match in Real’s Champions league victory in the final against Atlético Madrid in May. Later on Friday, Julio Grondona Jr accused Pérez of wanting to intimidate the AFA into not fielding Di María, who was man of the match in Real Madrid’s Champions League victory in the final against Atlético Madrid in May.
“We received the letter signed by Florentino Pérez saying he did not allow María to play... We called María and together agreed to tear it up,” said Grondona’s son, president of Argentine first division club Arsenal which was founded by his father, and a member of Argentina’s World Cup delegation. “We received the letter signed by Florentino Pérez saying he did not allow María to play ... We called María and together agreed to tear it up,” said Grondona’s son, president of Argentinian first division club Arsenal, which was founded by his father, and a member of Argentina’s World Cup delegation. “We were pressured.”
“We were pressured.“ María, outstanding in Argentina’s 4-2 friendly win over Germany in Düsseldorf on Wednesday, denied ever wanting to leave Real and once again praised former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo for backing him to stay at the club.
María, outstanding in Argentina’s 4-2 friendly win over Germany in Düsseldorf on Wednesday, denied ever wanting to leave Real and once again praised former team mate Cristiano Ronaldo for backing him to stay at the club. “I never wanted to leave Madrid, Cristiano always supported me to stay. Selling me was very good for Madrid to recover all they had spent [in the transfer market],” he said. “I never wanted to leave Madrid, Cristiano always supported me to stay. Selling me was very good for Madrid to recover all they had spent [in the transfer market],” he said.