Claudio Arzeno (55), that central defender who stood out at Independiente in the 80s and 90s, now watches football from the edge of the pitch. His career as an assistant coach has taken him to such diverse countries as Mexico, the United States and Spain. Today, the Argentine is part of the coaching staff of the Serbia national team, where he knows Francisco Pérez Lázaro well, the Spaniard who was officially appointed as the new sporting director of Universidad Católica. "A great signing for Chilean football," El Polaco tells El Deportivo.
How are you, Claudio?
Good, everything's fine. I was working in Oviedo, but now I live in Madrid. I'm on the coaching staff of the Serbia national team with coach Veljko Paunovic. We were also at Tigres de Monterrey, also in Mexican football. Before that I worked with Diego Alonso at Chivas de Guadalajara, but I started working with him in 2015 at Pachuca, then Monterrey and Inter Miami.
Have you already built a career there in Europe?
Yes, yes, I started here at Atlético de Madrid, in the youth ranks. I was there four years, and I happened to arrive at the time when Rodrigo and Lucas Hernández were 15 years old — I coached them. Then I went to a team here in the Primera RFEF (the Spanish third tier), Puertollano. I worked with Juan Schneider and then Diego Alonso called me and I went to Mexico. I spent five years with Diego, who later went to the Uruguay national team and I didn't follow him there.
You work with Francisco Pérez Lázaro...
Yes, we're with him now at the Serbia national team.
Did you hear that he was confirmed as sporting director of Universidad Católica?
I haven't spoken with him, but I heard the news.
For the first team?
Yes...
Well, I'm very happy that he's going to Chile. He's a very capable kid, and besides, I understand that Dani Garnero is over there, who was my teammate at Independiente. I remember when Católica beat Boca Juniors at La Bombonera — I hope things are going well for him. I'm very glad there are good people involved.
Have you been in touch with Garnero lately?
No, I called him a while ago, a few months back, but it's been quite a while since I've spoken with him. I did it for a reason, because I have the UEFA Pro license. Then I found out that, over there, in South America, it's different — you need the Conmebol one. I got all my qualifications here in Spain, and I think they don't count for South America.
Do you know Pérez Lázaro from Chivas?
That's right. He's a very good person, a very well-prepared professional, a very capable kid. I think it's a good move that Universidad Católica has brought him in. He has many interests and great knowledge of football. I met him at Chivas and now he was working with us at the Serbia national team too. The truth is he's a very good signing for Chilean football.
Does he know a market as far away as the Chilean one?
I think so, and he has great ability. He's always watching football from all over the world. He's a kid with a lot of curiosity to learn. He was doing all the scouting of Serbian players with us, the players of Serbian origin all over the world. He'll get to know the Chilean market in no time. He's probably already at it... But I don't know anything, I found out from you, from the press, I haven't spoken with him. He's surely already soaked up in Chilean football.
But it's far away, physically...
Yes, but nowadays, with all the platforms there are, you can follow all the leagues in the world from anywhere. From any computer. There are thousands of platforms, like Wyscout, a ton of options to get to know all the leagues on the planet. And he's a kid who's very well equipped for that.
What is his working style like?
He's very approachable, with everyone — with the executives, the players, the coaching staffs of all the categories. He's a kid who communicates well. A kid who knows how to be present — he'll do very well.
Over here not much is known about his career either?
Well, rest assured, it's a great move. I'm telling you. He's a young kid, only 39 years old, but he already has great experience in football, he's been in many parts of the world, in many countries.
How did things go at Chivas?
Quite well. He came in with Fernando Hierro, who was the sporting director, and also with Juan Carlos Martínez. They did a great job. They brought us in and we made it to the final, which we lost to Tigres. We had a great tournament and brought up a lot of kids from the academy. They left a very important foundation at Chivas, a very difficult place to work because they only work with Mexican players. And they did everything together. When we arrived, Chivas was in twelfth place and we took them to fighting for a championship. That's when the team started to take off.
Does Pérez Lázaro care a lot about the youth ranks?
That's right, he's a professional who gives a lot of opportunities to young people. But he also knows the international market. He's a very intelligent kid. He has many interests, he's very young and has a lot of energy, and he knows everything.
Francisco Pérez Lázaro at the UC facilities. PHOTO: CRUZADOS.
Maybe we'll see you at UC someday...
(Laughs) Why not, you never know.
Have you followed your beloved Independiente?
Of course. Right now there's all the presidential election business — hopefully capable people will come in, we'll see what happens. But I don't like getting involved when there are political processes going on; I keep my distance. I don't get into that kind of speculation. My thing is being a coach, and I want things to go well for el Rojo, for it to become the Independiente of my era again.
A team that has become a springboard for Chilean players...
Right, good players have arrived like Felipe Loyola and Maxi Gutiérrez as well. The thing is, the Chilean player is highly regarded over there; they had a very good generation and have always had very technical footballers.
Did you ever have the chance to play in Chile?
When I went to Racing de Santander in '98, there had been a possibility to go to Chile, and then I came to Spain. We're neighbors, and good football was played there too; there's always an exchange of players.
For which team?
I don't remember too well, but I think it was Universidad Católica. We went to play an international cup over there against Universidad, where Leonardo Rodríguez was (Mercosur 1998), and an interest came up then.
And have you spoken with Ricardo Bochini?
We haven't talked in a long time. He's Independiente's greatest idol, a different kind of player. I caught the last stretch of his career; I played in his farewell match — he won everything. But well, afterwards his successor was Dani Garnero. He put on the number 10 and did very well with it. Dani was also a great player; the responsibility never weighed on him. After Bochini, the best there was at Independiente was Garnero.
The last time you spoke with Bochini, he said that Lionel Messi in no way surpassed Maradona...
They're two different moments, two different eras of football. Each one was very important. I was also very much a Maradona fan, but what Messi has done is incredible. For me, in this last World Cup, he finally won me over... the truth is he's a crack. Of course. For me, Messi is the best in the history of football, not just in Argentina — above Maradona... He has done incredible things.