“In Argentina there is a desire for Peru to go to the World Cup”

—In your last column you compared the enthusiasm that exists in Argentina for Scaloni’s selection with that experienced with the team led by Marcelo Bielsa. For what is this?

There are things that unite this selection with that of Bielsa. You see an integrated team, with people who leave their lives on the field, don’t give a lost ball, run from the first to the last minute. It seems like a serious team and that commitment has managed to infect people, all of this backed by the Copa América. That title strengthened that feeling, the players took out a backpack of not winning anything that weighed more and more on them. They look lighter. Messi looks lighter. The players are happy. They look like children who are in Disneyland but who play very seriously.

—Paulo Autuori says that he doubts about Brazil’s performance because in South America, except for Argentina, he has not had a rival that allows him to measure his level. Does the same thing happen to you?

The victory over Italy helped to partially dispel that doubt. You see the League of Nations in Europe and it’s embarrassing. They are commitment matches, made to fulfill a contract, with players whose heads are on the beach, on vacation. It is a paper of the UEFA. That is why I believe that these commitments of Argentina in Europe must be taken in relative terms. Estonia is very weak, but let’s remember that a supposedly weak rival like Iceland made our debut in Russia 2018 bitter. And the second half against Italy was an exhibition that we hadn’t seen in a long time. Argentina was a machine that made 30, 40 touches in a row, with high-level football. That a South American team dominates a European in this way, beyond the fact that it has not qualified for the World Cup, was very surprising.

—And they found the formula: not leave all the work to Messi

Remember that this team was formed without Messi due to a sanction that he had to comply with. That allowed the team to be formed first and for Messi to arrive without any obligation. At first, the team was irregular, but it became stronger. And Scaloni showed his authority. The fact that the coaching staff is made up of former players -Aimar, Samuel, Ayala- is not a minor fact. They know the psychology of the locker room, they have an interesting group management. And low profile.

—And how do you see the playoff?

There is enormous sympathy with Peru. It has to do with the regional, although we know that sometimes for justified reasons we do not feel very loved in the region (we have done our merits for that). However, with Peru there was always a feeling of affinity, a different bond, since before Gareca… and it’s curious because he left us out of a World Cup (Mexico 70).

“The only one they couldn’t classify…

Yes, yes (laughs)… even with that background, Peru was always lovable. And Gareca’s presence strengthened that bond. Gareca is a guy who likes him, very serious. Here there is a desire for Peru to go to the World Cup.

—And how do you see it footballingly? My impression is that from the outside they see us as a light team, with colorful soccer, but not difficult to beat.

It is a somewhat irregular team. At home it is one, outside it is another. I saw part of the game with Australia and it left me with the feeling that physically they have something to hit Peru with. That’s why you need to impose your best technique, but for that you need to have the ball. It’s funny because the Peruvians who play in Boca are strong guys. Advíncula started badly, but today he is a bull, a tractor on the right. Zambrano is slower, he doesn’t have the same power, but he imposes tremendous physical rigor.

—Don’t you think that Argentine journalism is very harsh with Peruvians in Boca?

Everything that Boca does is going to appear on the front page of the newspapers. On Wednesday they played against Ferrocarril Oeste, a second division team, and Salvio was injured during the warm-up. As soon as it was known, the rumors began that Battaglia had taken him out due to indiscipline, when what he had was a tear. That generates Boca. Peruvians are treated neither more nor less than others. Zambrano is highly respected because in a very showbiz Boca, he has always had a low profile. Being a substitute, he never protested. The Boca fan loves him very much. He also imposes physical rigor, a requirement to be central to Boca.

—The exception was Meléndez…

Ha ha… Tomorrow Klopp comes, offers Van Dijk and the fan is not going to accept it because they want someone who imposes physical rigor. Meléndez was the exception that confirms the rule.

—There is no World Cup that has not been involved in controversies. Does the same thing happen with Qatar?

This one is rarer. It is a country where soccer does not exist, it will be played between November and December… In addition, there is the certainty that it is the venue because it paid more than others. That takes away seriousness. But I also like to think, as a citizen of a democratic world, that it is interesting that it be organized in an Arab, Muslim country. Argentina is going to debut with Saudi Arabia and we will surely be visitors because it is said that some 600,000 Arabs will go to Qatar. There is a debate there about how they will receive them because there is a tense relationship between the two countries. Nor is it known how they are going to receive fans of 32 teams who are not tourists from museums or beaches, but who are going to make noise, drink, want to change certain customs. Let’s see what happens.

—Did you hope that with Infantino the way football is handled would change?

Not because of the way he came into office. Everyone suspected that he was the mole behind Blatter’s downfall. And when you see so much ambition, you start to suspect. Or when you see that before meeting with presidents of federations, he meets with presidents of countries, Now there is a battle between UEFA and FIFA, with Conmebol becoming a supporting actor aligned with UEFA.

“And that suits South America?”

Infantino has the votes to impose his project of organizing a World Cup every two years, but both South America and Europe have already told him that they will not participate, so he has had to give in. He has also backed down with his project to make a World Cup with 24 clubs. He knows that he can get victories, but he also knows that the consequences of it can be worse.

—Is a World Cup with 48 teams feasible?

It’s crazy. You will lose not only competitiveness, but the feeling of what a World Cup means. The quality will go down.