Emi Buendía is the sample of one of the many boys from all over the world, that leaving everything behind, and ‘mortgaging’ his childhood, they emigrate to another country to try to achieve their dream of being soccer players. Many of the children who end up in the great schools of world football through scholarships or scouts, never manage to succeed, although The story of Emi Buendía does have that happy ending, although it has also had its price to pay.
At the age of 11, Buendía received a call from Real Madrid, to cross the ocean and try their luck in the world of European football. Both he and his parents could not say no to this opportunity, and Emi left for another continent, staying connected to her family and friends just by a phone. The young Argentine suffered a lot of pressure in the early years, and much of it came from within, wondering if it was all worth it, and if he was good enough to be a professional footballer.
At the age of 14, Buendía leaves Madrid, and heads for the lower categories of Getafewhere he is not valued as a great promise, and does not get to have good opportunities, until at the age of 20, ending up going to Cultural Leonesa, which at that time had just been promoted to the Spanish Second Division. All these ‘steps back’ generated doubts in the head of a Buendía who said to himself: “No, Emi, 12,000 kilometers, you left everyone behind to make this dream come true. I can’t stop here.”
From this moment on, Emi Buendía’s career began to progress, and after some good seasons at Norwich, which she promoted to the Premier League last season, the Argentinian has been given star signing status by one of the most ambitious projects in UK football, Aston Villa. In addition to this, in the last year, Emi knows what it is to debut with the albiceleste in an official match, a dream for any Argentine boy who has played football: “And in the last, maybe, 30 seconds, waiting to get on the pitch, I felt for the first time in football… nervous.”assured the Villa player, about the moment of his debut with his national team.
First sensations at Villa and the relationship with Steven Gerrard
Buendía is beginning to find the game in his new team, for a few days also, cShare midfielder with Coutinho, newcomer from Barça, although it seems that Gerrard has found a place for both in the starting eleven, although not everything has been so easy since the beginning of the season: “It was hard at first. It was hard, not in terms of settling in at the club – because everyone helped me a lot – but in terms of feeling comfortable on the pitch.” The player admits that since the Liverpool legend has been in charge of the bench, his self-confidence has increased.
Buendía bases a large part of his game on the understanding with the strikers who play ahead of him, and to whom he must supply balls, in fact he already did this at Norwich, affirming that practically had a ‘telepathic’ understanding with Finn Pukki, and upon his arrival at the Birmingham team he wanted to do the same with the strikers in the squad: “When I got here I talked a lot with Ollie Watkins, and then with Danny Ings when he arrived, to find out the details of his game. I think that in every game we have more confidence,” said the Argentine.
Regarding his relationship with his coach, Buendía admits having felt frustration for wanting to show that he was the best for the position, but that little by little he has been able to work on it and find a point of confidence in his game and in the team’s system: “I saw my games back and I didn’t like how I had played before. So that was a turning point and Now I see myself ready to show people what I’m capable of.”
Gerrard has come to compare Buendía’s temperament with that of another Argentine with whom he shared a dressing room, Javier Mascherano, emphasizing the tenacity and hot blood of both, without a doubt a compliment to Emi’s character. In turn, Buendía also has good words from the one who is his current coach: “He helped me a lot, from the first moment. we had a chat and He told me about his philosophy and his style, and it’s the same one that I like”assured Buendía, who also spoke about Gerrard’s personality: “His mentality is that of a winner and that is important. When he gives a message, I think all the players believe his words. There is a lot of ambition on his and the club’s part.”
Emi’s environment in her new club
off the pitches, Emi Buendía also seems to be feeling great in Birmingham, and much of this is thanks to having ‘Dibu’ Martínez close by and her family, assures: “We have found a precious family in the family of Emi Martínez”, says Buendía. “She has helped us a lot and your wife has helped my wife. We have children of the same age, they can play together, go to school together, play football together. Everything is going well for us to be happy here”. His partner, Claudia, and their young children, Thiago and Giovanni, have settled in Sutton Coldfield, where they have been supported by Emi Martínez, who lives just five minutes away, which has helped the whole family adaptas the Argentine midfielder affirms.
