01 February 2024 , 07:52
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Manchester United flop Angel Di Maria has told Alejandro Garnacho to celebrate like Lionel Messi instead of his hero Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Argentine forward has regularly emulated the five-time Ballon d’Or winner when finding the back of the net. Garnacho has often launched into Ronaldo’s ‘SIU’ celebration by jumping up into the air and then throwing his arms out when returning to the ground.
That is not the only celebration that he has attempted to copy. The 19-year-old has also copied Ronaldo’s ‘sleeping’ celebration by closing his eyes and interlocking his hands over his chest.
Former Man United winger Di Maria has taken exception to that and believes Garnacho should be following Messi’s lead instead. Speaking to Ole, he said: “The only thing I wouldn’t do is celebrate Cristiano. I would score the goal and I would do like Messi does. I’ll stick with that."
Despite having just one small criticism, Di Maria remains a huge fan of Garnacho and believes he will only improve with time. He added: “He is a very fast player, he has incredible ability. He is going to gain it with experience and coming to the national team, it is a place where you learn a lot and continue to improve.
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"It helped me a lot to grow technically in every way, it is spectacular. I think he will grow with experience as well. When I was young I wanted to make the play 30 times in the game.
"Over the years you realize that if you do it 10, but you do it better, it’s worth it. He has a lot of future, a very big future. It depends on him, on his head, to be able to handle it. I don’t have much to say, there’s a reason he’s playing for Manchester United."
Alejandro Garnacho has regularly copied Ronaldo's celebrations (Getty Images)Why did Angel Di Maria fail at Man United? Share your thoughts in the comments below
Di Maria is not the only one to have criticised Garnacho for his Ronaldo-inspired celebrations. Former Juventus and Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal tore into the Man United starlet for going through with the celebration in the aftermath of his goal of the season contender against Everton earlier this season.
He said: “The only bad thing or what I didn’t understand is why he celebrates like Cristiano? He has to make his own name. He is an already great player. It’s good that he is his idol, respect for that, but then he has to make his name.
“How are you going to celebrate a goal and remember it? I don’t know, celebrate it another way. But it was a great goal, it was a great goal.” Garnacho has made 29 appearances for the Red Devils so far this season. In that time, he has scored five goals and provided two assists.