ROSARY.- World champion with Argentina, Angel Di Maria At the age of 38, he is preparing to enjoy a new dream: meeting again on Thursday with the Libertadores Cupa tournament from which it separated two decades ago to later conquer football Europe.
“Fideo” returns to the main club tournament America and at the orders of the team of his loves, Central Rosarywho will receive the Ecuadorian Valley Independent for the first date of Group H at the Gigante de Arroyito (22H00 GMT), in the city of Rosario.
The winger, perhaps the most transcendent footballer in Argentine football in the last twenty years after Lionel Messihas not missed almost any game since returning, in mid-2025, to the institution where he began his career.
But an injury to the left adductor complicated him in the last month and a half, in which he only played the classic against Newell’s and just over half an hour before banfield. He had, however, decisive participation in both matches, won by Canalla.
Since then, the club decided to try to recover the popular former Albiceleste international so that he can get ready for his revival in the Copa Libertadores.
Influence on the Canalla
Although he has been in trouble in recent weeks, the award-winning attacker has been vital for his team, with four goals and two assists in nine games in the Apertura tournament in Argentina.
Di María performed for the first and only time in the Libertadores in 2006, when he was just a youth player. Then he left for the Old Continent to shine in top-level teams such as real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus and Benfica.
The Rosario idol performed in four cup matches, all as a substitute, for a Rosario Central team that finished bottom of its group, behind National Athletic of Colombia, Palmeiras of Brazil and Cerro Porteño of Paraguay.
“Ángel is always important for the team, but we prefer to take care of him so that he can reach Thursday,” said the coach. Jorge Almironafter the victory over Atlético Tucumán (2-1) on Saturday for the local championship.
El Canalla, fourth in Zone B of the Apertura tournament, five points behind the leader Independent Rivadaviawill try to repeat outstanding campaigns in the Libertadores. His most memorable performances were in 1975 and 2001, years in which he reached the semifinals.
Central qualified for this cup edition as the team with the best campaign in the 2025 annual table.
In the previous harvest he was involved in a controversy, because at the end of the year the Argentine Football Association (AFA) awarded it with an official league title as the team that scored the most points, even though the award was not in the regulations.
ruin the party
If in Rosario all eyes are fixed on the return of “Fideo”, in Ecuador Independiente del Valle is encouraged to maintain the good pace it has had in international competitions in recent years.
Champion of the South American Cup 2019 and 2022, the so-called Matagigantes stars in a very good campaign at the start of the local league, in which it occupies first place after seven dates, with four points ahead of Catholic University and Barcelona.
The Paraguayan striker could be a starter on the visiting team Carlos “Cocoliso” Gonzálezrecently playing in Argentine soccer as a player for Newell’s, Central’s archrival.
“It’s going to be a very tough and very important game because of how the group is made up,” said the Ecuadorian striker. Djorkaeff Reascoover an area that completes Central University of Venezuela and Freedom of Paraguay.
“Central is a very complex rival at home, Di María is a world figure, and with his fans they become very strong. But we are calm, we have a great team and we have worked very well,” he added.
