Lanzini Begins His Vélez Chapter and Reflects on River

According to Olé, Manuel Lanzini has started his chapter at Vélez after terminating his contract with River, where he had been training separately since participating in the Club World Cup. The midfielder, who debuted last week against Godoy Cruz, reflected on his first impressions at Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s team and his time at River, which "didn’t go as I imagined," and where he had to "accept" Marcelo Gallardo’s decision.

"Happy because I played well. Before, I thought I would be a bit rusty due to the long inactivity, but I felt comfortable. It’s a very nice group, and that shows on the field," Lanzini said after his 16-minute debut. About joining Vélez, he highlighted the significance of his conversation with Guillermo: "Before coming here, the talk I had with Guillermo was very good, very honest. That was also a plus. The talk I had with him is what I am experiencing here at the club, and that is great (...) When things are clear, everything flows easier."

Lanzini also discussed his ambitions with Vélez, currently in the Libertadores quarterfinals: "Obviously it’s a very difficult and competitive cup, with great teams. Vélez is a great team. We need to work 100% for that. There are very good young players and experienced players who can contribute to help the younger ones achieve what we need to achieve."

Reflecting on his time at River, he recalled that after arriving from West Ham in 2023, he could never fully settle: "Things didn’t go as I imagined, but it happened that way. Maybe it had to happen that way, and that’s reality." He also acknowledged the demands of Argentine football and Gallardo’s decision not to include him: "Of course, you never expect it. I thought I would finish my contract at River and then see what would happen, but these were decisions Marcelo had to make... I had to accept it that way."