Matias Esquivel has moved to newly promoted Greek Super League club AE Kifisias on a loan deal running up to the end of the season with Mamelodi Sundowns still on a minus with the Argentine.
Kifisia have Esquivel’s fellow countryman Sebastián Leto as head coach in an arrangement that will hopefully bring the happiness that he didn’t find in South Africa.
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The 26-year-old was brought in on a big-money transfer believed to have been upwards of R40 million from Argentine club Atletico Lanus but never settled, and then went on loan to CA Talleres, before returning to play thrice in the second half of last season.
"Believe me, I respect the players who don't play more than the ones who play because those ones they arrive at home and they want to give love to their families while they are sad and not happy," explains Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso.
"They arrive home, and the kids ask, ‘Papa, why you don’t play, why are you here?’ and this (is) not beautiful.
"Matias suffered a lot here in this club.
"There is a moment when we as human beings, it is already not the context for him to be here despite that he is a quality player, and no one should have doubts about that.
"But because of what happened before with coach Rulani that he didn't play.
"Now he came in December, and we had expectations that he could play, but the other ones became better than him and they gave him no chances, like I gave him no chances.
"There were others I gave chances and showed they were better than him.
"He was suffering.
"His family was suffering.
"His wife didn't want to come back.
"His kids didn't want to come back.
"So, what can you say to a human being under those circumstances rather than find a solution since the club invested in you so that we don’t lose money and make you to be happy?
"Sometimes players are in a context where they cannot perform, but then suddenly, they change and go.
"I believe that will happen with Matias because not only is he a wonderful boy, but he is also a quality player.
"Sometimes it is like that," says Cardoso, noting that Esquivel didn’t show him enough desire.
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"Matías eventually also didn’t work or persevere or was constant in telling me that I want to play.
"And that is said by training hard, better than the other players.
"You need to understand that (for) a player to play, he must show in the training sessions that he is better than the ones that are playing in the same position," says Cardoso.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
