Sebastián Abreu hails Benfica star: his quality is beyond question | OneFootball

Former striker Sebastián Abreu, known as ‘El Loco’, argued that River Plate should move forward with the signing of Nicolás Otamendi. The Argentine centre-back is at the end of his contract with Benfica and, in the Uruguayan’s view, can bring not only quality, but also leadership and experience to the Buenos Aires club’s dressing room.

“Regardless of the name, players with these characteristics are rare. Generations have changed, squads have changed, and a top-class player with leadership helps in many ways that aren’t seen: a sense of belonging, respect for the shirt, knowing how to behave,” he told the website 'La Página Millonaria'.

The former player for the Argentine club also stressed the impact the Eagles defender could have on less experienced players: "For the younger ones, it’s important to have someone experienced in the dressing room who shows them what it means to be a professional and how to behave at a club like River. For the coach, he would be a perfect link, because he isn’t in the dressing room all the time, nor in the mate circle or in the conversations after meals during training camp.”

He also praised the centre-back’s leadership qualities: "His quality on the pitch is beyond question. On top of that, he has something extra that many experienced players do not have: leadership ability. A leader does work that is not always seen on the pitch; it is something much deeper. It is a role you have to enjoy, because it wears you down a lot. You have to manage many situations and, because you embrace the responsibility, you end up facing everything.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.