Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister spoke to the Argentine media at the end of last week, this time in an interview with TyC Sports.
Following his move to the Seagulls in January, this is the first time the player is able to start a season in the Premier League. He was asked to talk a little about the difference he’s been seeing in English football.
“When you go from Argentine football directly to English football, for example, you feel the difference a lot,” Alexis Mac Allister told TyC Sports.
“At first I felt it, but today I feel on par after working hard on the physical and the mental sides. The key is in the ball speed. There are very few teams there where the grass gets wet in their stadiums, for example. That changes everything.
“In England there is a big difference between big and small teams, but they still attack and defend with everything despite it being difficult. I was very surprised by Mohamed Salah. It’s amazing how the ball arrives, its speed. Also Paul Pogba that when he put his body in the way, it’s impossible to get the ball.”
Mac Allister also talked about his place in the national team, claiming he’d be better off playing in a different position so he doesn’t have to compete with Lionel Messi.
“As Scaloni has played many times with two number tens, I imagine myself there. But with Messi it’s difficult. So perhaps I can start more from behind.”
It turns out that Mac Allister could end up having a Brighton teammate at the national team. And that’s not because the Seagulls are signing a new Argentine player.
There are rumours in South America that Neal Maupay could end up playing for the Albiceleste. Even though he was born in France, his mother is from Argentina.
Manager Lionel Scaloni talked about this possibility this week (via Los Andes), claiming they still need to analyse if it’s worth bringing him in.
“Reyna and Maupay are eligible players but to ask them to nationalise you have to be convinced that you are going to use them and that they want to come. It’s not worth ruining the possibility of them playing for another team.”
