“It excites me that the children copy my celebrations of the goals”

Was Tuesday the best day of your life? I don’t know if the best, but one of the best for sure. And not only mine, but also for my colleagues, the people of Montilivi and my family. I am proud to have been able to score four goals for Madrid and obviously it is a day to remember.

To what can such joy be compared? Not to many things. I have not been lucky enough to be a father and being so young, it is one of the most beautiful things that has happened to me in football. Along with the day I put on the Argentine national team shirt, which is the most beautiful thing.

How did you celebrate it? I was at home, calm, with my brothers and friends. I couldn’t sleep much and I was up until three or four in the morning reading messages and the networks. It was amazing to see my name everywhere.

And in the morning, while you were eating lunch, were you aware of what you had done? Yes. It was all very crazy. I did not stop answering messages while I had lunch. In fact, the mobile blew up and everything. In the locker room it hit me when I was connected to the Wi-Fi from so many notifications that came at the end of the game.

How many messages did you receive? Wow, so many! WhatsApp alone about 300.

He had already scored a poker game with New York City last year. Had he ever scored more? No never. At most all four with New York City and now with Girona.

I’m sure I’ve never done so many interviews… The mobile does not stop ringing. They are beautiful things that happen and are done with all the desire.

It was even on the cover of the sports newspaper Olé in his country. What do they say in Mendoza? It is a special illusion. It is also to appear on the covers of large sports newspapers here. It will mark me forever. At home they are very proud of me, just as I am of them. Mendoza is a lot of his. I have received very nice messages from friends and family.

Any message that has made you particularly excited? No… I have a very good relationship with all my ex-colleagues and I always receive nice input from everyone.

Was living nights like Tuesday one of your dreams when you came to Europe? Yes. You always dream of playing against Barça or Madrid with desire and anxiety during the season. Being able to score was a dream. He never would have guessed it and then all of a sudden he scored four. He was still fatter.

It had been many years since any Girona player had scored four goals in a game. You did it against a whole Madrid. Are you aware that you are part of the story or not yet? Maybe not yet. From now on I will assimilate it and I will enjoy it even more.

He also already has a place saved in the ‘Museum of Madrid’s horrors’, along with Lewandowski, Messi, Dertycia and some others. Being with great players doesn’t happen often. I remain the same because this will not change me at all. This will help me to continue working and try to be better.

Whoever scores a hat-trick gets the ball. With a poker, what did he get? One ball and a piece of the other! [Ríe]. A hat-trick was already something precious and the fourth goal was the icing on the cake.

Is Girona saved? Yes… We are in a sweet moment and we had to win the game to escape from the lower zone. Now we are in a very good position and we can look at Europe.

¿Europe, you say? Yes, because we have a great squad. When there is confidence in a team and a dressing room that works well, you can calmly aspire to more.

Would finishing in the top ten seem little to you? Now we are and obviously it would be fine. You have to be humble, but I also want to be realistic. I see on a day-to-day basis that we can easily aspire to Europe because we have the kind of players and the style of play to achieve it.

What did Stuani say to you at the end of the match? He was very happy, like everyone. He is the captain and he encourages me a lot because we are both forwards. He gives me advice and helps me. He has a lot of experience and when he speaks, what he represents for Girona and in the world is to enjoy. I learn a lot every day with him.

Has a classmate said something to you that stuck with you? All! They were very surprised to be able to win and score four goals for Madrid. arnau [Martínez] He sent me a very nice message thanking me for the goals. I am happy to be able to help such a young boy and make him happy, because it was also his birthday.

Did someone from Madrid keep the shirt? No. I didn’t trade it with anyone. I kept mine. One will go safely to Mendoza for my mother and the other will be for me.

In the box was the Spanish coach spying on Arnau. Who knows if Scaloni also saw the game. I don’t know…I’m sure a lot of people saw it. It would be a dream to wear the national team jersey. There are very good players. I am ready. You have to be at the right time to take the step. We are world champions and we have the best.

He already has 12 goals. How many does he hope to score until the end of the season? I go step by step. I’ll try to mark as many as I can. I do not set any ceiling or goal. If there are two, three or four, they are welcome.

Regarding your future, would you like to repeat the assignment? Girona is the club that has helped me, it has brought me to Europe and it is here where I have been able to climb as a professional. I am very comfortable with the people and the club. I’m happy and I’ll be here until it’s time.

How would you like to be remembered? It’s always nice to leave something behind at the clubs you’ve been to. I would like to be remembered as a good person.

What does it mean to see kids wearing their jerseys and doing their finger gestures to their faces to celebrate goals? It is a dream that they copy my celebrations. It excites me, really. The gesture is nothing from the other Thursday. I started doing it in Uruguay with some friends and then in New York I continued. And until now.

How do you motivate yourself before matches? I try to relax and meditate the night before. In the game I am calm. I drink mate and try to go out into the field with a clean head.

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Did you close your networks because of the comments after the missed opportunity at the Camp Nou or because you didn’t want to know anything? In general I am very self-critical and often I prefer the bad and not the best. I decided to close the networks to try to free myself, perhaps, from negative comments. Not because I had read anything, but because I wanted to focus on my environment and be with those who really love me and want the best for me. Life has to be enjoyed because it offers many more possibilities. It does not happen only through social networks. After a few days I reopened them. It was not for nothing bad, on the contrary. I only had messages of support from people from Girona or Argentina who love me. Football gives you revenge and against Elche I was able to score. Then the whole field chanted my name. I know that people love me and value me not only for scoring goals but for the work I do for the team.

Do the networks have such an influence on the state of mind of a footballer or, in general, of people? Yes. It depends on the way each person fits it. We live in a reality in which the networks can harm people and the youngest children. People don’t see the work that footballers do, for example, how we take care of ourselves when we eat and how we can’t do things that the rest can. That is why it is essential to have an important inner circle.