Pablo Zabaleta and girlfriend Christel CastanoManchester City's FA Cup semi-final win over United had the blue half of Manchester beaming. But is also raised a weak smile 7,000 miles away in a hospital bed in Buenos Aires – and to Blues hero Pablo Zabaleta, that meant more than actually reaching the final.
The man who was celebrating inside, even though his body was devastated by a terrible car crash, was Zabaleta’s dad Jorge.
Now the whole-hearted Argentina defender wants to take a winners’ medal with him when he flies back to his homeland after the end of this season, to show to his recuperating dad.
Zabaleta dashed with his girlfriend Christel Castano to his father’s bedside in March after hearing the 57-year-old was clinging to life after serious head, neck and chest injuries when his car left the road and ran into a ditch.
Wreckage
Zabaleta senior had to be cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and when Pablo arrived in his homeland, his father was in a coma.
City gave him compassionate leave to remain in Buenos Aires as long as he needed.
After a three-week vigil at his bedside, Jorge began to improve and was moved from the intensive care unit.
City placed no pressure on Zabaleta to return even though they lost right-backs Jerome Boateng and Micah Richards to injury.
But with vital games coming up, Zabaleta had a hard decision to make and with his father still unable to speak, he was unable to ask his advice.
So the player asked himself what he thought his father would want him to do – and that was to return and play his heart out for the Blues.
“I am sure he will think I have to be here,” said an emotional Zabaleta, who was one of the heroes of the semi-final at Wembley with a typically lion-hearted display.
“Sometimes I want to be with my family there – it is a difficult time, but my career is very important as well.
“I am sure he would say to me, if he could, that I should come back to Manchester and carry on with my job. That’s why I am here.
“I went back to Argentina to support my family, my brothers, but when he started to get better I decided to come back to be with the team.
“It was a time when nothing was going to change, and I spoke to the doctor. I told him I had to go back, and was leaving my father in good hands.
“It was a difficult decision, but this is my career and we are in a great moment, so I wanted to be here for the final and to be with the team in this part of the season.”
Popular
Zabaleta has become hugely popular among City fans for his commitment and professional attitude, and he was overwhelmed by the messages of support he received when news broke about his father’s accident
“I have to say thank you to the City fans because many of them followed me on Twitter and left some great Tweets of support to me and my family,” he said.
“They have been asking how my father is doing, so I have to thank them for that.”
Jorge had recovered enough to watch the semi-final on TV, and the sight of his son celebrating with his teammates was a huge fillip.
“My brother told me when we played the semi-final my dad was in bed and watching the game on TV,” said Pablo. “When we won he was very happy and had a smile on his face. Maybe that will make his recovery much better.”
It is to be hoped that Jorge was looking the other way when Pablo was on the end of a wild challenge from Paul Scholes which saw the United midfielder red-carded. Zabaleta revealed that the gash and livid bruise left by the challenge almost ruled him out of Monday’s clash with Blackburn.
But he says there are no hard feelings towards Scholes, saying: “He is a great player. Sometimes in a semi-final or in games like that anyone can lose their head.
“I don’t know him as a person but he looks very quiet, and as a player I have a lot of respect for him.
“I had some problems in the week before Blackburn but I made a good recovery and was able to play without a problem.”
Jorge will not be able to fly in for the final because he is now spending two months of rehabilitation in a neurological centre.
Zabaleta was speaking at the launch of the new Manchester Tennis and Football Centre, part of the Sportcity complex.
“I like tennis it’s a great sport and sometimes when we have a day off I go with Roque Santa Cruz to play – he is better than me but I enjoy it,” he said.
THE new centre, based at the old regional tennis centre, is a multisports facility for east Manchester residents, as part of a joint venture by City in the Community, Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust and the city council.
The man who was celebrating inside, even though his body was devastated by a terrible car crash, was Zabaleta’s dad Jorge.
Now the whole-hearted Argentina defender wants to take a winners’ medal with him when he flies back to his homeland after the end of this season, to show to his recuperating dad.
Zabaleta dashed with his girlfriend Christel Castano to his father’s bedside in March after hearing the 57-year-old was clinging to life after serious head, neck and chest injuries when his car left the road and ran into a ditch.
Wreckage
Zabaleta senior had to be cut free from the wreckage by firefighters and when Pablo arrived in his homeland, his father was in a coma.
City gave him compassionate leave to remain in Buenos Aires as long as he needed.
After a three-week vigil at his bedside, Jorge began to improve and was moved from the intensive care unit.
City placed no pressure on Zabaleta to return even though they lost right-backs Jerome Boateng and Micah Richards to injury.
But with vital games coming up, Zabaleta had a hard decision to make and with his father still unable to speak, he was unable to ask his advice.
So the player asked himself what he thought his father would want him to do – and that was to return and play his heart out for the Blues.
“I am sure he will think I have to be here,” said an emotional Zabaleta, who was one of the heroes of the semi-final at Wembley with a typically lion-hearted display.
“Sometimes I want to be with my family there – it is a difficult time, but my career is very important as well.
“I am sure he would say to me, if he could, that I should come back to Manchester and carry on with my job. That’s why I am here.
“I went back to Argentina to support my family, my brothers, but when he started to get better I decided to come back to be with the team.
“It was a time when nothing was going to change, and I spoke to the doctor. I told him I had to go back, and was leaving my father in good hands.
“It was a difficult decision, but this is my career and we are in a great moment, so I wanted to be here for the final and to be with the team in this part of the season.”
Popular
Zabaleta has become hugely popular among City fans for his commitment and professional attitude, and he was overwhelmed by the messages of support he received when news broke about his father’s accident
“I have to say thank you to the City fans because many of them followed me on Twitter and left some great Tweets of support to me and my family,” he said.
“They have been asking how my father is doing, so I have to thank them for that.”
Jorge had recovered enough to watch the semi-final on TV, and the sight of his son celebrating with his teammates was a huge fillip.
“My brother told me when we played the semi-final my dad was in bed and watching the game on TV,” said Pablo. “When we won he was very happy and had a smile on his face. Maybe that will make his recovery much better.”
It is to be hoped that Jorge was looking the other way when Pablo was on the end of a wild challenge from Paul Scholes which saw the United midfielder red-carded. Zabaleta revealed that the gash and livid bruise left by the challenge almost ruled him out of Monday’s clash with Blackburn.
But he says there are no hard feelings towards Scholes, saying: “He is a great player. Sometimes in a semi-final or in games like that anyone can lose their head.
“I don’t know him as a person but he looks very quiet, and as a player I have a lot of respect for him.
“I had some problems in the week before Blackburn but I made a good recovery and was able to play without a problem.”
Jorge will not be able to fly in for the final because he is now spending two months of rehabilitation in a neurological centre.
Zabaleta was speaking at the launch of the new Manchester Tennis and Football Centre, part of the Sportcity complex.
“I like tennis it’s a great sport and sometimes when we have a day off I go with Roque Santa Cruz to play – he is better than me but I enjoy it,” he said.
THE new centre, based at the old regional tennis centre, is a multisports facility for east Manchester residents, as part of a joint venture by City in the Community, Manchester Sport and Leisure Trust and the city council.
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