The coach of the Netherlands, Louis Van Gaal, regrets that the Argentine striker Ángel Di María has described him as the worst coach of his career when he had to direct him at Manchester United.
Ángel Di María was lapidary when asked who had been the worst coach of his career.
The Argentine winger did not hesitate: “Louis Van Gaal”.
Di María’s response in an old interview took effect just before the match that the Albiceleste will play against Van Gaal’s Netherlands on Friday in the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
“It’s sad, I don’t like that Ángel has declared it. It’s a pity, ”the Dutch coach replied when asked this Thursday about the statements of the striker, whom he directed at Manchester United in the 2014-2015 season. “He is one of the few players who has said it.”
Van Gaal, 71, then highlighted that Di María “is really a good player, a very good player” but recalled that in Manchester “he had had many personal problems. They had broken into his house and that affected his performance ”.
In an interview, Di María said that Van Gaal “didn’t show me the good things. We won 3-0, he scored a goal and an assist and, the next day, he showed me videos of the passes he missed. So constantly.”
His poor relationship with the coach led Di María to move from Manchester to Paris Saint-Germain in 2015.
Both could meet again on Friday at the Lusail stadium. Di María recovered from muscle discomfort that had left him out of the round of 16 match against Australia and could return to Lionel Scaloni’s starting eleven.
More relaxed, Van Gaal recalled this Thursday that the Dutch striker Memphis Depay – next to him at the press conference – also suffered it when he directed it in Manchester.
“The coach sometimes has to make decisions that don’t always end well. The same thing happened to Depay. He also played for Manchester and now we kiss on the mouth. This is how things work”, said the coach, who then threatened to kiss the player to the laughter of the journalists present.