Angel Di Maria Talks Louis van Gaal, Compares Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Lionel Messi
Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Angel Di Maria has revealed he was unhappy at Manchester United and that his relationship with former manager Louis van Gaal was under strain before his summer transfer to the French champions.
Speaking with Le Parisien (h/t Sport Witness), the Argentina international spoke about his turbulent year at Old Trafford and also compared PSG team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic with compatriot Lionel Messi.
When quizzed about whether he was unsettled in Manchester, Di Maria gave an honest assessment, per the aforementioned piece:
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"Honestly, we were not happy. In the beginning, yes, a little. Then things got complicated.
Life in England was a little difficult. It is not easy for a South American. Some do it very well. And for others, adaptation is more difficult. I didn't have a very good relationship with [Louis van Gaal], so I think the decision to join Paris was the best solution.
"
After joining the Red Devils from Real Madrid last summer and starting the season in sensational form, Di Maria seemed set to become a Premier League star. But injuries sapped any early momentum he’d built up, and after being played in a variety of different positions by Van Gaal, Di Maria found himself on the bench for much of the second half of the season.
All was not well off the pitch, either, it would seem. Di Maria admitted his family had been hugely unsettled after an attempted burglary on his home. “My family was not well, my daughter suffered,” he said. “So the most important thing was to leave.”
Di Maria hasn’t got off to the best start since his summer switch. As we can see here, courtesy of Goal Adviser, the former Real Madrid midfielder’s numbers in the 2-2 draw with Bordeaux on Friday make for some pretty sorry reading:
But as is clear from his time with United, a strong start doesn’t necessarily mean longevity, and Di Maria will surely improve as he continues to become better acquainted with life in Paris.
He seems to be enjoying playing alongside some stellar names too. As Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Johnson noted, Di Maria told Le Parisien that after getting a glimpse of Ibrahimovic in the early stages of his PSG career, the Argentina international thinks he’s on a par with his international team-mate Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo:
Ibrahimovic has only featured on one occasion for PSG this season, helping his side to a 3-0 over AS Monaco, a game in which Di Maria came on as a substitute.
For the Parc des Princes faithful, the prospect of those two linking up on a long-term basis is a wonderful one. Of course, as a team-mate, Di Maria was being a little effusive when putting Ibrahimovic on the same level as Messi, but the mercurial Swede remains one of the best forwards in the world and a player who should benefit massively from the Argentinian’s presence.
Major honours will consequently be expected. As noted here by Selecao Brasileira, team captain Thiago Silva insisted this squad is now good enough to win the Champions League:
"Thiago Silva: "PSG is strong enough to win the Champions League." pic.twitter.com/FjhFJvDlzA
— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) September 8, 2015"
Di Maria certainly adds a vibrancy PSG have been a little short of in the latter stages of the competition in recent seasons, and they’ll be hoping he can dovetail with Zlatan to devastating effect. Provided he’s settled, played in a consistent position and given time to acclimatise, the Argentina international should do exactly that.
At United, Di Maria should have done more to live up to the staggering price paid for him, but he’s certainly not the first departed player to cast aspersions over the manager, per Simon Jones of the Daily Mail. There’s also a human aspect to consider: If Di Maria’s family were as unsettled as he states, then a move away was surely the best course of action for all parties.
