The Argentine coach details his failed pursuit of the new Leverkusen defender, praising a rare blend of technical skill and aggression that eventually fueled Medina’s rise across Europe.
Martin Demichelis knows Facundo Medina from more than just watching him from the opposite touchline.
Long before the two crossed paths in the Bundesliga, Demichelis had already identified the Argentine centre-back as a player he wanted at River Plate. The deal never happened, largely because Medina was considered too expensive, but the admiration clearly remained.
"As River Plate coach, I wanted to bring in Facu, but he was too expensive,"
Demichelis then explained to Bild that Medina ultimately made what he considers the right decision by continuing his career in Europe.
That decision has since taken Medina to the biggest stages of the game. The defender played at the World Cup and is now establishing himself at a major European club, following the career trajectory Demichelis envisioned when he first tried to bring him back to Argentina.
For Demichelis, however, Medina's appeal goes beyond his nationality or his path through European football. The Leipzig coach highlighted a combination that is increasingly valuable in modern centre-backs: aggression without sacrificing technical quality.
"He brings a lot of aggression, but he also plays very well with the ball and has a lot of football intelligence,"
That combination is particularly relevant to the way Demichelis wants his teams to defend. A centre-back in an aggressive system cannot simply be strong in duels. He must be comfortable defending space, stepping forward, making decisions under pressure, and contributing when possession is recovered. Michu was a centre-back himself, one of the best in the Bundesliga during his time at Bayern, so he knows exactly what he wants from a player in that position.
"I really like a centre-back like that,"
There is also a sense of personal pride in Demichelis' comments.
As an Argentine coach who spent much of his playing career in Europe, he knows the significance of seeing another player from his country establish himself on the continent. Medina's decision to remain in Europe has allowed him to develop at the highest level rather than immediately returning to South America.
"He made a good decision to stay in Europe."
It is also telling that Demichelis' interest in Medina predates his current role at Leipzig. The defender was already on his radar when he was responsible for one of South America's biggest clubs, suggesting that his appreciation is not based on a brief run of form.
Yesterday, from the Leipzig dugout, Demichelis saw the qualities he wanted for himself at River Plate up close.
The move he once wanted to make never materialised.
Medina was too expensive at the time. But years later, Demichelis still regards the defender as the kind of centre-back he wants in his team: aggressive, intelligent, technically capable, and comfortable playing modern football from the back.
For Medina, that failed River Plate move ultimately became part of a much bigger European journey. For Demichelis, it is a reminder that the player he once tried to sign has developed into exactly the type of defender he admired in the first place.
