a:2:{s:4:"TEXT";s:8370:"You are the eldest child in a family six children, was your childhood difficult? 

I cannot remember any unusual moments and I had a fairly ordinary childhood. I really loved golf and remember giving up a lot of time for that. Up until I was 14 I lived in the small town of Tucuman, then I was offered a move to Buenos Aires to attend the River Plate Academy, that was an offer I simply could not refuse. 

Did you have to choose between golf and football? 

Football has always been my passion, golf was more of a hobby. It's something I do at weekends and in my spare time. I always dreamed of becoming a footballer and managed to achieve this. 

Were you ever an attacker in your youth?

To be honest, I've never even tried myself in any other position. From early childhood, all my coaches put me as a defensive midfielder, so I still play there. I am pleased with my role and I think that I play exactly where I should. 

What is the difference between the game of a defensive midfielder in Russia and in Argentina and Spain? 

It's not so much the difference in the position, it's more the difference in the style of the game as a whole. Football is unique everywhere, in Argentina, Spain, Russia, in every country football has its own characteristics. But I always try to adapt to the style of the country where I play, it is not a problem for me. I just try to play the way the coach wants.

In the match against Ufa you made a surprisingly beautiful assist for Driussi. Does the coach see you as the creator of goals or as the destroyer of our opponent's attacks? 

It always depends on the specific match. I'm glad when I managed to take part in a scoring attack, but in general Mr. Mancini, I think, considers me a defensive player. 

You've played under Diego Simeone, both he and Roberto Mancini are football tacticians. Who's influenced you the most as a player?

I've had many coaches who've had a huge impact on the development of my career. Now it is Mr. Mancini influencing me, Simeone also did at Athletico and Sampaoli did too at Seville. But I still believe that I still have a lot to learn about football. 

Can you compare Simeone and Mancini? 

Diego is a very tough coach. Athletico reached such a high level largely thanks to him. In fact, Mancini and Simeone have a lot in common. The main similarity is that they are both winners. For them, there is no other result than winning. 

Have you met any new things in life in Russia? Were there any concerns about moving to Zenit?

When I found out about the interest from Zenit, I immediately contacted the Argentine guys who were already here. After talking with them, there was not a single doubt in my mind. I am really happy that I came to St. Petersburg and I am sure that I made the right choice. The only difficulty is the language, Russian is very complicated! While I mostly try to learn English to communicate with my teammates, but as soon as I can speak that better, I will definitely study Russian. 

How do you like Russian food? Is there anything better in the world than an Argentinian steak? 

Indeed, for an Argentinian there is nothing more delicious than an Argentine steak. In St. Petersburg I have already visited several restaurants and I really liked them. 

Do the weather conditions affect your game here? Have you ever played in such cold? 

In the south of Argentina there are areas where the temperature can drop below zero, but I have never played in the snow. In the Argentinian top league all clubs are based in the north or central part of the country, in the south they only have teams in the lower divisions. I understand that in Russia we have to play in December when it's pretty cold, but on the pitch, I try to concentrate on my game and not think about any other factors. 

Zenit are the only club in Russia who always play at home to a full stadium. How do you like the atmosphere at Stadium St. Petersburg? 

We have more than fifty thousand at our matches and that's great. I want the fans in the stands to understand how valuable their contribution is to our victories. This isn't just words, this support really inspires us and we feel a responsibility to the people and try to give our all in every game. I played at the Vicente Calderon and the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadiums, in Spain people go crazy and love football. But when I came to St. Petersburg, I realized that here the fans are even more passionate! 

Driussi said that there are no matches in the world to compare with the River Plate - Boca Juniors derby. Do you agree with him? What is so special about this game? Have you played in any matches with similar intensity and atmosphere?

The games between Boca and River are really something absolutely else. A person who has visited this match at least once will never forget it, it really cannot be compared to anything else. There is an incredible atmosphere at these matches. 

Argentina will be at the World Cup in Russia and you've been called up for the friendly in Moscow, are you pleased that you've avoided the long flight? 

First of all, I am incredibly glad to be called-up for my national team, because playing for your country is a great honour for any football player. One of my goals is to play at the World Cup in Russia. 

Why has the Argentinian national team had such a hard time getting to the World Cup? 

In South America there is a very difficult qualifying process, perhaps the most difficult in the world. All the teams are strong, we play each other regularly and know each other down to the smallest detail. Almost all the teams in our region are good enough for the World Cup, but we showed that we are a powerful team and that we deserve to be at the World Cup in Russia. 

All Zenit's Argentinians say that Messi is the country's number one person, but he is a very modest person, can you tell us anything about him? 

Messi is a very simple, sociable guy. He does not have a hint of arrogance or have any illusions of grandeur. For Argentinians, Lionel is a real idol, people are ready to pray for him, but in the national team he is the same as everyone else, we all work for the same result. It is difficult to give you a specific example simply because Messi just behaves like everyone else. It is an honour for me to play with him in the same team. 

What do you do in your free time, except for walking your dog on Krestovsky Island? 

I am a family man, I spend all my free time with my girlfriend and my relatives. I cannot say that I go out a lot. I spend most of my time at home. 

Have you played golf yet in St. Petersburg? 

I have not played golf yet and won't until the summer because it's too cold. 

In St. Petersburg we also have a Zenit basketball team, where Argentina's Nicholas Laprovittola plays. Have you been to see them play yet? 

We follow each other on Instagram and I've exchanged phone numbers with him, so I think we will meet soon and get to know each other better. I have not been to the games yet, but I'll try to get to them. 

What is the most important thing for you in life? 

Of course, my family, this is my main treasure, but football is something for which I give everything to and I put my soul into it. ";s:4:"TYPE";s:4:"HTML";}