El Perrito Barrios, from the Dock Sud paddock to test the San Lorenzo 10: “I don’t know what would have happened to me without football”

The South Dock towers witnessed their first electric dribble, when they barely knew how to tie their shoelaces. Or not even that, because many times Nahuel Barrios He ran barefoot chasing his closest friend, the ball, the one who was always by his side to guide him away from drugs and always keep him focused on realizing his dream of becoming a footballer.

“I started playing in the neighborhood. From an early age I always liked playing football in the Docke. Later I went to a Gerli club called Amor y Lucha. They saw me there when I was 10 and took me to an audition in San Lorenzo. And stay”recounts the early days of his career, this 24-year-old driver who, thanks to his ability and his 155cm height, has become impregnable for rivals.

Dodging kicks and also knowing how to lay down when the rotten one was armed– In the Dock Sud paddock to try on the number 10 Cyclone jersey, the one worn by his idol Leander Romagnoli and with which he will come out for the first time at the Nuevo Gasómetro this Saturday in the first of the championship, against Arsenal. Puppy shares with clarion his satisfaction with an ideal gift after years of rowing at the Boedo Club.

The loans in Defense and Justice and Central Córdoba in Santiago del Estero to find continuity have ended. Hand in hand with Ruben Darío Insua, Barrios has established himself at the Boedo club and wants more.

-How were those matches on the fields of the South Dock?

-They were spicy. The older ones invited me to play and kicked me. I liked it anyway, huh. It got really spicy and they always called me to play with them. I really liked playing ball. He played all day. We made balls out of the bags: we put rags on them, tied them up and played. Barefoot, whatever.

– Dirty court?

-There in the neighborhood yes, dirty. And when it rained we played in the mud. Nothing else mattered except playing football. We played tournaments. We played for Coca, for anything to motivate more. And we kicked each other.

-How was your day as a child?

-And… I came home from school and I told my mother, “Mom, I’m going to play ball”. He’s been on the road all day. He would show up again around 9pm. Sometimes my mother, Monica, scolded me, but she realized that what I liked was playing ball.

-Were you the only one in the family who devoted himself to football?

-We are eight brothers, I am the one in the middle. I have brothers who also liked to play, but they didn’t make it. It seems to me that they didn’t like training, they were a bit lazy, ha. They play very well, but they didn’t know how to take advantage of it.

-When did you realize that you were good at football and that you wanted to dedicate yourself to it?

-I always knew. And that there were a lot of things in my neighborhood that prevented me from doing that. But I liked working out. I was going alone. At the age of 14 he was already traveling alone. It was a sacrifice because sometimes we didn’t have enough money for the ticket, but my mother did everything to make me come. I’ve always said that one day all of this would pay off. Thank God it was possible.

-If it wasn’t for football, what do you imagine would have happened in your life?

-Honestly I do not know. The neighborhood was very, very rough. Everything was within my reach, but I never grabbed anything. I’ve never strayed to the other side. I had something that was football and I went for it. You can ask anyone. Many ask me “how did you get there despite everything?”. I think about it and it’s true. But my idea was fixed.

– Do you have friends who had conditions, but went another route?

– Yes, many. Some are in prison now, some are… But hey. I told my brothers. But other than talking to them and telling them I can’t do anything else.

-Several years ago you said that one of your goals was to be able to get your family out of the neighborhood. Could you do it?

-My mother still doesn’t want to leave. I tried, but still won’t. I know I will. She is used to living there. Thank God they are better. I can help you. Of course my siblings are big and they also manage on their own. I’m very homely, but my mother doesn’t really like going out. I tell her to go for a walk and sometimes I persuade her. It’s that one of my little brothers is disabled and she takes care of him.

-And when you go back to the neighborhood what do they tell you?

-The truth is that everyone receives me very well. Nobody tells me anything. They know me and they know how I am. When I debuted in the neighborhood I was very happy that someone from there could come. It was like an example.

-Do you like to be an example that you can come from humble beginnings and get what you want?

-Yes a lot. Little kids always come and tell me they see me play. This makes me really happy. Maybe they want to go down the same path and that’s great. It gives me strength.

-Did you have a specific conversation with Insua when you arrived?

-No. He went away with the training course. He gave me the chance to play and I thank him because I had to be seen on the pitch and I’m taking advantage of it. I want to continue more. I don’t want to be alone with last year. I’ve been battling it for a long time and it wasn’t happening to me. I went on loan and it was not given to me as I would have liked. And now I have this chance and I want to continue to take advantage of it.

-When you came back from your last loan, did you think about leaving again or did you think about having another chance here?

-It’s that Ruben arrived here and everyone started from scratch. If given the opportunity, I was thrilled to take advantage of it. If it hadn’t happened, I would have gone on loan, yes.

-Why do you think Insua managed to pacify San Lorenzo?

-It’s that the Galician knows the club a lot. I’ve been here before. He makes us know at all times the sense of belonging. He gives a lot of confidence to those who play and also to those who don’t play. They all feel important. A good climate has been generated and there is a barbaric group. All the former are very good people and not to mention the class of players.

-When did you realize that this would definitely be your moment?

-When I played for Barracas Central as a starter. That was my first game as a starter with Insua. I felt it was time. I let go a lot. I had had several opportunities in the past and I hadn’t taken them. And now I’m older, I feel more mature.

-You played as a striker, as a winger, as a double five… Where do you enjoy yourself more?

-In Inferior I have always played from a hitch, free. In the First Division I started playing more on the wing. In both ways I feel very comfortable because I really like playing one-on-one, but in between I have more ball and I participate more in the game. I like not having a fixed position. And I always like to participate in the game. I need to start trying to hit the bow more.

-Is Insua asking you?

-Yes, everyone tells me to try harder. I don’t encourage myself so much to score, I like more to make a pass.

-This kick is very physical and beyond your complexion you seek to transcend it. Did you ever feel that I was physically outnumbered?

-Today you have to run a lot, it’s not like before. If you don’t run today, I don’t know if you will be able to play. And no, I don’t feel inferior. The rivals out there may think that since I’m a boy they will beat me and they are confident. Better for me. I take this opportunity. Some opposing defenders ask me to stand still and stop running ah.

-Your idol was Pipi Romagnoli, the last 10 from San Lorenzo to come out of the quarry, but now you have 10.

-Yup. I have thought about this moment many times. I dreamed about it a lot. I come from the Lesser and have always used it there. She wanted to use it in Primera. It has now been given to me and I am very happy with it.

-Did you ask for it or did someone suggest you use it?

-I asked. We agreed with Insua. They said yes. I was already thinking about it, but I was waiting for the right moment. I didn’t play before and it wasn’t appropriate. Now I felt yes. Reuben accepted.

-Did you talk to Pipi about it?

-Not yet.

-And what do you think he would tell you?

-I don’t know… He’s the oldest, he left it up there. I will do everything possible to leave this number at the height it deserves. The Pipi has won everything here and I will try to do something. I’ve already used it in summer friendlies but the shirt didn’t have the last name. This Saturday will be something else, with the people of San Lorenzo… The fans always show me great affection. It will be very beautiful. My family will be on the pitch.

-Insua and some referrals say you have to win a title this year. Do you talk in the locker room?

-Yes of course. We are San Lorenzo, a great team. We have to aim to be at the top in all competitions. We are preparing for this. I dream of winning something with San Lorenzo. We hope that it will be given to us. But you have to be calm.

Leandro Romagnoli’s opinion: “He deserves it, let’s hope 2023 is his year”

​For me it means a great joy that he Cub The districts take the 10 of San Lorenzo. First of all because he was born from the club, he did everything to get to the First Division and he succeeded. He had to go on loan, he fought, he came back and today he has a nice gift, like the whole team.

He has a great sense of belonging because he left the club. He deserves it for the year he’s had. We hope that 2023 will be your year and that of all of San Lorenzo. This is my wish.

I would tell him that coming out as champion wearing the Barça shirt and with the team that gave you everything as a boy and saw you grow is the best thing that can happen to you. I hope that this year he and all his mates can try it.