After a few months with Basel after so many years of living with the Inter shirt, the experienced Argentine defender speaks to the microphones of the Basler Zeitung, the Swiss newspaper of the city, describing his first impressions of the new reality and more. Here are the words of The Wall:
Samuel, what has surprised you most about these first few months in Basel?
“I knew that the Swiss football was good. However, I was struck by the difficulty of the league, the fast way you play and also the talents that play here, which are numerous.”
Which teammate has surprised you the most?
“I would say Taulant Xhaka: he is very versatile and always shows great skills, regardless of on which position he is used. I would say that he could surely play in Serie A.”
Which place would Basel take in Italy?
“It would surely be in the first half of the standings. It may not be at the level of Juventus and Roma, but they could compete with the other teams.”
Why did you choose Basel?
“I got an offer from Sampdoria, but, despite not having anything against this club, the idea did not convince me. Also because I had already achieved everything I could in Italy with Roma and Inter. So it was natural for me to choose an experience abroad. Although I was not expecting the call of Basel, there had never been any discussions. So it was a pleasant surprise.”
How did you get here? Thanks to your agent?
“No, I do not have agents. It was a friend of mine who spoke with the club, in a few days everything was put in place without anything leaking publicly. It was a strong signal that made me accept the proposal, and then it was also an excuse for me and my family to try a new experience. An adventure? I don’t know whether it is right to call it that, it’s not just a club, it is Basel, a team known throughout Europe. Zdravko Kuzmanovic, my team-mate, said he would return to this club in the future; as he heard the news of my transfer, he called me to congratulate me.”
Unusual, in today’s football, to not have agents.
“I’ve had it up to four years ago, then I discovered that I can manage my own, without help from anyone, at most of my friends.”
After the defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League, you have been criticized for the age, which has become a problem.
“It ‘s normal when you’re 36 years old and you don’t play well. But I’m not worried, with Inter last year I played 15 games in the last six months, and I’ve always been good. Even then I was criticized in Italy, but also praised. The only thing I have left to do is work hard, without raising my voice. This is the only thing to do to improve, the only thing that I promise to do.”
How do you rate your own performances?
“I’m not very happy with me. Against Young Boys it went well because I felt good. I skipped all the preparation, but I don’t want to use it as an excuse for not playing; it’s clear then that for me to play is so much better, even though I know there are no guarantees of playing for anyone, especially in the middle of the defense where Fabian Schär and Marek Suchy are doing a great job.”
How do you interact with Schär, when you are on the pitch?
“I don’t speak German, this must be the next step for me, even though I was warned that it is a very difficult language. With Fabian I speak a little with my hands and a little with some English I know, because no matter what the language of football is international, or so they say. But in the locker room we can’t talk much. If I’m sorry I did not learn English? Very, I’ve tried so many times but I did not feel the need and I always gave up. Now I have to try again as soon as possible.”
You said you experienced criticism also in Italy.
“Yes, but there whistles are propageted after the game or at the training centre. In Switzerland, people behave in a more civil way, no one so far has put pressure on me and I can still walk around the city at all times. And I love it.”
How do you feel after two decades in professional football?
“It’s all right. If I can not train as happened recently it’s not because of age, but I’m happy to play again and I want to enjoy this year in Basel.”
Only a year?
“I don’t know yet. But I know that Basel will be my last team.”
And after that?
“I want to study, find out if I can be as good as a coach. Managing a whole squad is different from preparing a game, I have a lot of respect for this work. I have had the advantage of having learned something from great coaches, from Marcelo Bielsa to José Mourinho.”
But what makes Mourinho so special?
“Like few others he manages to create a close-knit group. To many he seems like an arrogant person, especially when he speaks to the media, but he does take pressure off the players.”
You also had Maradona as coach.
“Yes, at the 2010 World Cup. It was something special for us, because he was an idol, the absolute number one. Our respect for him was huge. It worked fine, then there was that game against Germany. He talked about tactics, but above all gave us great motivation.”
How is Switzerland? Have you been able to see anything?
“Apart from the Ticino, which I had visited when I was playing in Milan, I have seen little. I was recently in Lucerne, then in Freiburg. But if I have time and I certainly will visit other places.”
Source: fcinternews.it
