Ayala returns to Argentina
Reuters - Wednesday 03 February 2010, 00:57
BUENOS AIRES - Former Argentina captain
Roberto Ayala arrived home in Buenos Aires on Tuesday after 15
seasons in Europe to join Racing Club.
The 36-year-old central defender, regarded as one of
Argentina's best ever, was to be unveiled on Wednesday having
left Real Zaragoza as a free agent.
"They were the only club that really sat down with my agent
and committed themselves to bringing me (back). Others showed
interest but never offered anything concrete," Ayala told
reporters.
His former club River Plate and Independiente were also
interested in the defender, who helped Argentina reach the
quarter-finals of the 1998 and 2006 World Cups.
"I'm here to help enhance Racing's history," Ayala said of
a club that is one of Argentina's 'big five', but spent last
year fighting to stave off relegation and whose only league
title in more than 40 years came in 2001.
The move re-unites Ayala with coach Claudio Vivas, who was
assistant to Marcelo Bielsa when in charge of the national team
between 1999 and 2004.
Vivas was one of the more active coaches in the transfer
market during the summer recess in January, signing
sought-after Argentine strikers Claudio Bieler and Gabriel
Hauche.
His team made a fine start to the Clausura championship
last weekend beating Rosario Central 3-0 and were away to Colon
in Santa Fe province on Tuesday night. Ayala could make his
debut at home to Arsenal on Sunday.
Ayala, who began his career at Ferro Carril Oeste, joined
Napoli from River Plate in 1995 and moved on to AC Milan in
1998. He left Italy for Spain in 2000, first to Valencia and
then Zaragoza in 2007.
He won 115 Argentina caps and captained his country in a
record 63 matches. He played in several Copa America
tournaments, including the last two finals in 2004 and 2007 won
by Brazil, but only won one international title, the Olympic
gold medal in Athens under Bielsa in 2004.
Ayala was in Bielsa's squad at the 2002 World Cup but
suffered a muscle injury warming up for their opening match
against Nigeria in Japan and played no further part in the
team's failure to qualify from their group.