‘Tenacious’ Buendia ‘reminds’ Gerrard of former Liverpool team-mate

Jason Soutar
Steven Gerrard hugs Emi Buendia

Steven Gerrard has likened Aston Villa playmaker Emiliano Buendia to his former Liverpool team-mate Javier Mascherano.

Buendia has enjoyed his best football at Villa Park under Gerrard, who replaced Dean Smith in November.

The Argentina international joined the Villans from Norwich City last summer for a club-record £34m fee.

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Buendia is still settling in at Aston Villa having only scored twice in 21 appearances this season.

However, Gerrard has hailed the 25-year-old’s ‘tenacity’, comparing him to his ex-Liverpool midfield companion Mascherano.

“He’s smiling but he is still angry in training,” Gerrard said (quotes via Birmingham Mail). “That’s because he’s a little competitor, he is tenacious, but I don’t mind all of that.

“I love someone who, be it in one v one or two by twos or three by threes it doesn’t matter, they treat it like it’s the World Cup final.

“They want to win, it doesn’t matter what it is, they want to be competitive. It’s in their DNA. They are winners.

“He reminds me of Mascherano. The Argentinians are really competitive. They want to win everything.

“I think if you get in those habits on a daily basis it comes out in the games. That’s the mentality I want in all my players. If we can get everyone in the same place as Emi, controlled, we will be alright.”

Elsewhere, Luis Diaz’s father claims Tottenham “hesitated a lot” during the transfer process to sign his son, allowing Liverpool to swoop in.

The Colombia forward touched down in Liverpool from Paris last Friday and made his debut in the Reds’ FA Cup fourth-round win against Cardiff at Anfield on Sunday.

Reports recently claimed that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was ‘furious’ with Liverpool after they beat them to the signing of Diaz and that there could now be a ‘period of hostility between the two clubs’.

However, Diaz’s father, Luis Manuel Diaz, claims that Tottenham only have themselves to blame for Liverpool hijacking their deal.

“There were many suitors who wanted Luis’ services, but he had the dream of reaching Liverpool. Because Liverpool are an elite team,” Diaz Sr told Blu Radio’s Blog Deportivo.

“Tottenham was one. Roma was also left behind in the process. They hesitated a lot and let themselves be caught by Liverpool. Liverpool were faster than them, they needed him and they took him away.”

Aston Villa Emi Buendia

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