Angel Di Maria has urged Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho to stop copying Cristiano Ronaldo's goal celebrations and instead emulate Lionel Messi. The Argentine forward, who had a difficult spell at Old Trafford, criticised Garnacho's frequent use of Ronaldo's 'SIU' and 'sleeping' celebrations.
Speaking to Argentine outlet Ole, Di Maria said: 'The only thing I wouldn’t do is celebrate Cristiano. I would score the goal and I would do like Messi does. I’ll stick with that.' Despite this criticism, Di Maria praised Garnacho's talent and potential, adding: 'He is a very fast player, he has incredible ability. He is going to gain it with experience.'
Garnacho, 19, has regularly imitated his hero Ronaldo after scoring, including the iconic 'SIU' jump and a 'sleeping' pose. This has drawn criticism from others too, including former Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, who said after Garnacho's wonder goal against Everton: 'The only bad thing is why he celebrates like Cristiano? He has to make his own name.'
Garnacho has made 29 appearances for Manchester United this season, scoring five goals and providing two assists. Di Maria, who left United after one season, believes the youngster will improve with time and experience, particularly in the Argentina national team setup.
