GIOVANI LO CELSO hopes to live up to Tottenham’s Argentinian history — and to the reputation of a home town that produced Lionel Messi.
Lo Celso knows all about how 1978 World Cup winners Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa became Spurs legends.
Lo Celso wants to add to Spurs’ Argentine historyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Argentine legends Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa are just two of themCredit: Getty – Contributor
And he comes from the city of Rosario, which also gave the world his international team-mate Messi and Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa.
Lo Celso said: “There have been many Argentinians in the past at Tottenham.
“They have always represented Argentina in the best manner and left a great imprint on the club.
“The fans still talk about Ardiles and Villa and, of course, Mauricio Pochettino carried that on for so many years.
“Now it’s up to us to continue this tradition and we need to be worthy of all these wonderful players of the past.”
Lo Celso’s Rosario roots make him part of another, even richer tradition.
The city is regarded as being at least as much a hotbed of football as Argentina’s capital, Buenos Aires.
Gabriel Batistuta also grew up there but its most famous for being the cradle of Messi.
The Tottenham star said: “Rosario is a city that lives football and experiences the game in a completely different way.
“It has a unique passion for it. I think that’s the reason why so many players have come out of Rosario, including right now the best player in the world.
“For me, I feel like I represent the city and do my best to carry that with me. I started playing football in Rosario with my dad and then my brother. My dad passed down that passion for the game to both of us.
“After that I had the chance to play in the youth teams for the team I supported. It was a dream come true.”
That team was Rosario Central, rivals of Newell’s Old Boys, the club where Messi and ex-Spurs boss Poch played and whom Bielsa led to Argentine titles and a Copa Libertadores final.
So Lo Celso’s hero growing up was not Messi but Rosario Central star Angel Di Maria.
And Lo Celso would later play with his former idol at Paris Saint-Germain and said: “Di Maria also grew up in Rosario, he was a fan of the same club as me so I have followed his career wherever he has gone — be that Madrid, Manchester United.
“He has always been a fantastic player, so I’m just happy to have been able to share so many moments with him as well.”
I feel like I represent the city and do my best to carry that with me
Lo Celso on his hometown Rosario
Lo Celso will aim to make a bigger impact in England than Di Maria who was unhappy at Old Trafford.
Tottenham converted Lo Celso’s loan from Real Betis into a permanent deal this week, on the same day Christian Eriksen completed his move to Inter Milan.
That is another big pair of shoes for Lo Celso to try to fill but he said: “He is a great player. The club and Eriksen came to a decision that it was right for a change. He wanted a change of scenery and a new challenge.
“So I try not to compare myself to him, just to do the best that I can to help my team win matches.”
And 23-year-old Lo Celso has quickly become a favourite of the new manager Jose Mourinho.
The boss mischievously claimed that the attacking midfielder had experienced an “incredible evolution since I arrived”.
Lo Celso said: “When Mourinho arrived I wasn’t in the team but I worked every day to show I had what it took to play.
“Every coaching team has a different vision. But the most important thing is the club and the aims it sets itself.
“In Tottenham’s case that is to finish in the top four, to get as far in the Champions League and the cup competitions as possible.”
It is a big week for those ambitions, with Wednesday’s FA Cup fourth-round replay against Southampton after today’s Manchester City clash — both at home.
The City game is likely to pit Lo Celso against Sergio Aguero, the most successful Argentinian of all time in English football.
Messi is from Lo Celso’s hometown of RosarioCredit: AFP or licensors
Lo Celso said: “Aguero’s a great player but now I come up against him on the pitch and am going to do everything I can to beat him.
“We are coming up against a big opponent but we know we have all the weapons to hurt them and win the match.”
And one of those weapons is Lo Celso, Tottenham’s latest Argentinian import and another export from the Rosario production line.
Young Tottenham striker Troy Parrott shows his class in pre-season
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
