Matias Pellegrini talks Inter Miami exit for first time
The Argentine attacker touched on his departure from Inter Miami last week prior to playing in his first competitive match since 2020
Matias Pellegrini stepped back on the field this past weekend and played in his first competitive match in almost a year, but not before talking about his Inter Miami departure at long last.
For the first time in 2021, Pellegrini spoke to the media last week to touch on, among other things, his desired move away from Inter Miami. The Argentine youngster rejoined childhood team Estudiantes earlier this month on a loan that runs through June 2022, the resolution to an unfavorable situation that saw him become the victim of the South Florida side’s scandalous 2020 roster rule violations.
“I do not know if I can tell too many details, but we looked for a return to (Estudiantes) a lot,” said Pellegrini in Spanish in a press conference. “It was not easy. I think we put forth a lot of effort and enthusiasm to be able to return. Luckily, I was able to do that thanks of course to my agent and (Estudiantes executive) Augustin Alayes, who just happened to be in Miami.
“He helped us, he helped me a lot, and he gave me a lot of assurance. Luckily, it ended up happening.“
The 21-year-old attacker, whose last game with Inter Miami came on Nov. 20, 2020, was unable to participate in matches this season. He practiced with the team on a daily basis, but became ineligible to play for the Herons just before the start of the campaign in April because they bought out his 2021 budget hit in order to become roster compliant. The Herons had four Designated Players prior to that, one more than is permitted by MLS, and had to remove one from the official roster.
They chose Pellegrini, who was never made available to the press by Inter Miami this year to discuss the challenging ordeal that cost him months of playing time and on-field development.
“This year I felt like I started preseason incredibly,” said Pellegrini. “I felt very good and was playing really well in the friendlies. Then what happened afterwards happened unfortunately, but I see the experience as a good one. The soccer there is played distinctly, with lots of transitions in which the ball goes back and forth all the time.
“You have to be very good physically because the players flat out fly, and I think that is what proved most difficult for me when I arrived.”
Pellegrini, who is not expected to return to Inter Miami despite being only on loan right now, played in his first competitive match since last year this past Sunday. He came off the bench in the 67th minute of what was at the time a scoreless match with Argentine giants Boca Juniors, and put forth an outing that helped give Estudiantes a stunning 1-0 victory.
It marked a positive start to a new chapter for Pellegrini, whose year did not begin as planned due to the dramatic dilemma with Inter Miami that grabbed plenty of headlines.
“The move abroad has helped me a lot in terms of maturing mentally,” said Pellegrini. “Obviously it also helped me from a soccer standpoint. I am 21-years old, but I feel good and with experience. This last year-and-a-half has helped me a lot. I have been around world-class players, who obviously help you and give you lots of advice and told me a lot about their experiences.
“They have helped me grow, so I think I am a much more mature player and I think I have grown from a soccer standpoint, so I hope to have a good year so as to be able to help the club and my teammates.”