Mateo Pellegrino says he has no regrets about choosing Fiorentina over Juventus and is determined to earn a place in the Argentina squad.
The forward, who joined Fiorentina a few months ago, scored his first headed goal for the club against Juventus, prompting him to copy Gabriel Batistuta’s famous machine-gun celebration.
Paolo Vanoli had shown Fiorentina’s players a video to underline the importance of the fixture, Pellegrino told La Gazzetta dello Sport. Seeing Batistuta celebrate in the same way in the past inspired him to imitate him.
He said the gesture was intended only for that occasion, adding: “That’s his celebration, I just borrowed it for a special moment.”
Juventus had also tried to sign him during the summer, but Pellegrino insists Fiorentina was the correct decision.
“When I made the choice, I was very sure it was the right one, and Fiorentina is exactly that,” he said. “I get along very well with my team-mates, and I feel trusted, which I will repay with daily training.”
He also praised the support from Fiorentina’s fans, while warning the team must show the same commitment against every opponent. His father Mauricio, now coaching Lanus, told him the Juventus performance had been excellent as well as praising the goal.
Pellegrino said he had met Batistuta at Fiorentina’s centenary celebrations and later contacted him because he wanted to see him again. Batistuta helped him understand what representing the club means, although he did not send a message after the Juventus match.
The 23-year-old has spent much of his life moving between countries because of his father’s playing and coaching career. He lived in Spain, Italy and England before returning to Argentina, where he made his debut for Velez Sarsfield.
“I have friends everywhere,” he said. “Even though it was pouring rain outside, I was wearing a short-sleeved jersey and shorts, so it wasn’t hard for me to adapt.”
Pellegrino’s father coached him at Velez, an experience he described as difficult because team-mates sometimes criticised Mauricio. The striker said he encouraged them to speak freely and occasionally became angry with his father himself, although the overall experience was positive.
He remembers little of Mauricio’s time as an assistant coach at Internazionale, having been seven and spent only one season in the academy. At Liverpool, he learned English and became an admirer of Fernando Torres; at Parma, he had to start learning Italian again.
Pellegrino believes Vanoli’s return has changed Fiorentina’s attitude and strengthened the team spirit. However, he says they cannot assume their problems are over before the league resumes after the international break against Monza.
He accepts Vanoli’s view that a striker needs better service, but says forwards must also wait for opportunities and convert them. Pellegrino feels strong in the penalty area, particularly when controlling the ball and receiving long passes, but wants to improve his work outside the box and his link-up play.
Playing for Argentina remains his ambition, although he is trying not to focus on it. “I need to play well for Fiorentina first,” he said. “As long as I keep improving and working hard, I believe that day will come.”
He described Franco Mastantuono as a possible successor to Lionel Messi as Argentina’s number 10, while stressing that Lautaro Martinez and Nico Paz are also options. “There’s no other Messi in the world, so comparing him is meaningless,” he said.
Pellegrino and Mastantuono are close friends who make music together, with Pellegrino playing drums and learning piano while his team-mate plays guitar. He expects Mastantuono’s first assist for him to arrive eventually.
Asked which Argentine player in Serie A he would most like to play with, Pellegrino chose Paulo Dybala, saying Dybala and Mastantuono could provide the passes while he scored.
He studies Erling Haaland, whose physique is closest to his own, and named Manuel Akanji as the toughest defender he has faced. Pellegrino does not yet regard himself as a Fiorentina leader, but believes he can become one, alongside experienced figures such as David de Gea and Luca Ranieri.
