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In recent years, Argentina have been looking for a strong central defender who can take over from Javier Mascherano. Nicolas Otamendi and German Pezzella are benchmarks for young shoots, but have limits on a certain level. Lisandro Martinez (23), who shines with Ajax Amsterdam, has the potential to assert himself with Albiceleste, but he is no longer the only hope for this position. Indeed, for a year, Cristian Romero has been splashing his talent on the football fields with Atalanta. Only 23, the Belgrano-trained player joined Italy in 2018 by signing for Genoa. Very quickly interesting, he caught the eye of Juventus who bought him and then lent him again to the Grifoni. However, doubts still remained about his ability to take this additional step that would make him a part of a big club. Loaned with an option to buy last September at Atalanta, he made the choice of playing time and took it well.
“Last summer Juventus changed coaches and I realized it would be difficult to stay. I was hoping, but there were a lot of center-backs there. People with big names like Bonucci, Chiellini, De Ligt. I called my agent, Ciro Palermo, and I more or less said, “There is no room for me here, let’s look for an option elsewhere. I’m leaving, I don’t want to sit there and waste a year. . ” I am young and I need to play to grow. Juve is Juve, but I don’t want to sit on the bench “ he explained at the time in an interview for Sportweek. Quickly integrated into the eleven of Atalanta, he quickly asserted himself as an indisputable holder despite the presence of a solid trio composed of José Luis Palomino, Rafael Toloi and Berat Djimsiti. Solid in the duels, he progressed very well under the orders of Gian Piero Gasperini, who allowed him to be much fairer on the tactical level.
Quick integration into the selection
“During my stay in Genoa, I had many teammates who had been coached by Gasperini and they spoke very well of him. If you listen to it and train well, it follows you step by step and makes you progress. Before I met him, I was tactically a disaster. Today, I feel more mature ” had revealed the Argentine defender for Sportweek. Much more orderly in his way of playing, he was awarded the distinction of best defender in Serie A during the 2020/2021 season. A deserved trophy despite competition from Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Milan Skriniar (Inter) and Stefan de Vrij (Inter). Benefiting from a new status, he has entered the sights of European leaders like Liverpool or Manchester United, but he should stay at Atalanta, which is ready to raise the 18 million euros of its purchase option. A way to continue to grow while remaining in an ambitious club and which plays in the Champions League.
Flourished on the side of Bergamo, he was logically selected by Lionel Scaloni for the Copa America. Used twice in qualifying for the World Cup against Chile (1-1) and Colombia (2-2), it quickly became obvious to coach Lionel Scaloni. “Romero didn’t surprise us. I am not wrong when I said that the national team have a great central defender. We are happy as if he had played 100 matches with the team ” let go of the Argentine technician after the match against the Cafeteros. A meeting in which, the defender scored with a header after 130 seconds of play, which is now Argentina’s fastest away goal in qualifying for the World Cup, surpassing Diego Maradona’s record. in 1985 (168 seconds). On the bench against Chile in the opening match (1-1), he was present and decisive in the victories against Uruguay (1-0) and Paraguay (1-0). Qualified for the quarter-finals with Argentina, Cristian Romero dreams of bringing the first Copa America since 1993 to his country and of continuing to assert himself as a future boss of the Albiceleste.
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