Aber Banga could easily have become one of the most sought after ties, but off the pitch he has become his own biggest enemy • over the crazy genius of Sevilla, who will try to break away from the continent as the king of the Europa League

• Banga. "Sevilla crowd will miss it"

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  IP

Aber Banga has managed to cram all its essence into the last three months. In May he was one of four Sevilla players who broke the ban in favor of a photogenic family meal, and about a month ago was photographed without a mask at a nightclub in Valencia at a party, after which 12 new corona patients were discovered. The Argentine midfielder, somehow, managed to come out negative in all the tests, and then took time off to play football and do positive things.

Helped Sevilla to oust Roma, then cooked up the winning goal in the quarter-final against Wolves, then starred in a 1-2 win over Manchester United in the semi-final. Tomorrow he will meet Inter in the Europa League final, in what will be his last game on the continent before moving to the Saudi league. For 12 years he played Banga (32) in Spain and Italy, and they were just like the last three months. Off-court offender, trained on it. Lots of nonsense, but also lots of football.

In the beginning, before the nonsense came, Banga was all about football. A native of Rosario, a typical Argentine number 10, one who sticks the ball to a shoe and hands out devotion to anyone who wants it. He grew up in Boca, won the Libertadores with her and was part of the Argentine gold generation, which lifted the World Cup until the age of 20 in 2007 and picked up the gold medal in Beijing in 2008.

Against Pogba in the semifinals. Separate in style? // Photo: IPI

Compare him then to Fernando Gago and Fernando Redondo, expect him great, but instead of miserable opponents, Banga chose to miserable himself. For example, in 2007, just before moving to Valencia, a video of him masturbating was leaked in an online video call. Or when that year he smashed his hotel room in Toronto along with members of the young team. Or when he was in Valencia and injured for six months after forgetting to lift the handbrake in a vehicle that had fallen over and run over his foot. Or when a few months later, when he was in rehab, he managed to set fire to his Ferrari.

Banga also went out often, sometimes disappearing for a few days, and in 2013 managed to arrive drunk and late for training in Valencia. Two days later he scored against Barcelona, ​​who were then at their peak under Tito Villanova. A Spanish reporter covering Valencia in those years wrote: "Banga is a genius on the pitch, but a crazy man off it."

In retrospect, Banga seems to have left for Europe too soon. A 19-year-old from a poor home, he came to Spain alone and did not understand who was against whom. Instead of making trouble, he was in trouble. “I was young and made a lot of mistakes,” he previously admitted in one of the interviews, and much because of those mistakes his potential got stuck in the ceiling. Despite the obvious qualities, and because of the constant problems, no big team wanted to mess with the problematic relationship of Valencia who in 2014 found themselves in Sevilla - the biggest small team there is.

Banga. "When he's good, Sevilla is good" // Photo: AFP 

Next stop: Saudi Arabia

And in Andalusia, Banga fulfilled his destiny and became the best mediocre player in the world. Won with Sevilla twice in the Europa League, went out for loan season at Inter, and when he returned continued to be a key screw in midfield as he does this season. "When Banga plays well, Sevilla is good," his coach John Luftaghi admitted this week. "He is a unique and special player, and the Sevilla crowd will never forget him," added Jose Navas.

The departure of Banga to Saudi Arabia, at this point in time, heightens the longings of Sevilla fans and lovers of beautiful football. In the last two weeks the Argentine midfielder mentions what a tremendous talent he has in his legs, and what heights he could have reached if his head was in sync. Banga could have been a leading player in the Champions League, but instead he will try to leave the continent as the undisputed king of the Europa League. As the best player among those who failed to be the best. Is the symbol of the Europa League.