“Unfortunately, today I have to go but I want to make it clear that I never wished to leave,” he wrote in an open letter to Madrid’s fans, who, to be fair, like his team mates had never taken him for granted. In came the World Cup flavours of the month, Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez, for untold riches, leaving Di Maria to have to ask once again where he exactly he fitted into the stellar plans. His boy had been key to Madrid achieving La Decima last season, his numerous assists and electric contributions, capped by his historic slalom sprint down the left flank which led to Gareth Bale’s key goal in that Champions League final, making him invaluable for coach Carlos Ancelotti.
“My son is tired of always fighting, demonstrating and showing everything.” It was like they didn’t want him in the club and showed him no affection,” wailed his dad Miguel.
In a galactico panoply, he was the star who, whatever his considerable achievements on the pitch, could never shine quite brightly enough for his club President Florentino Perez not to be dazzled and distracted by new comets. That’s how Di Maria had begun to feel at Real Madrid. More than that, you could sense on this breakthrough day for manager Louis Van Gaal the possibility that Di Maria, with all the abundant gifts that make him at nearly 60 million pounds ($97.4 million) the most expensive signing in English football, may have found a club where he could again become the king, not some undervalued courtier. It felt like the Theatre of Dreams had found a buccaneer with the pace, invention and elan which seemed to have deserted the place of late, a man worthy of inheriting the red number seven shirt previously donned by the likes of George Best, Eric Cantona and Cristiano Ronaldo. The standing ovation which Di Maria soaked up from his new Old Trafford admirers after his thrilling man of the match contribution in United’s crushing defeat of QPR on Sunday had a touch of reverential rediscovery about it. REUTERS/Andrew YatesĪt last, at Manchester United, one of the least valued superstars in world football - if there can be such a creature - may just have found the place where he can be truly, madly, deeply appreciated. Manchester United's Angel Di Maria celebrates after scoring a goal against Queens Park Rangers during their English Premier League soccer match at Old Trafford in Manchester, northern England September 14, 2014.
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