Facundo Buonanotte interview: I am not the ‘Midlands Messi’ but will give everything for Leicester

Signed on loan from Brighton, the 19-year-old is Leicester’s top performer and one of the Premier League’s most exciting young talents

Never fall in love with a loan player goes the saying, even if they have once been compared to Lionel Messi. But Facundo Buonanotte has Leicester City fans embracing a beautiful relationship.
This might be a short-term fling but the Argentine attacking midfielder has made an outstanding start to the season.
Signed on loan from Brighton, the 19-year-old is Leicester’s standout performer so far and is establishing a reputation as one of the Premier League’s most exciting young talents.
He has also underlined why Carlos Tévez, his former manager at Rosario Central, once mentioned him in the same sentence as Messi, the little maestro and greatest footballer of his era.
When those Messi comparisons are put forward to Buonanotte, he smiles. “No,” he says, “it is impossible.”
Yet while Buonanotte is just at the start of a promising career, there are clear similarities even if he finds the comparisons unhelpful: he and Messi were born in the Santa Fe province, they are predominantly left-footed and possess that dreamy ability to excel in tight spaces.
“He was my idol growing up, my absolute hero. I’m only 19 and he was playing many huge derbies for Barcelona against Real Madrid by then,” says Buonanotte, sitting in a room at Leicester’s training ground.
“It was great of Tevez to say that and I think maybe he was referring more to my speed and acceleration off the mark. It went viral and exploded everywhere, but it would be a lack of respect towards Messi to make a direct comparison.
“At the age of 37 he’s still the best player in the world. He’s going to still be performing like this for a long time to come.”
Buonanotte is forging an impressive reputation of his own in the Premier League. He will turn 20 in December and is clearly a talent to watch with Brighton fully aware of his potential. 
His unpredictable journey from his hometown of Pérez has now taken him to the east Midlands with Leicester, and he is emerging as a crucial player for head coach Steve Cooper.
Ahead of Saturday’s clash at Ipswich, Buonanotte is hoping to add to his three goals and two assists so far.
“For a No 10, those numbers are what we thrive and live off,” he says. “You want to entertain the fans and feel they can identify with the way the team is playing.
“I like to think I can also help the team in other ways by winning the ball back, closing down, making tackles and working hard. If you’re in possession of the ball you’ve obviously got more chance of scoring goals as a unit or individual.
“There is a really good feeling with the fans and I try to repay that support on the field with performances.”
Buoanotte has settled in well at Leicester, taking up to three English lessons a week, and on the pitch has been very impressive. 
With Cooper’s gameplan mirroring the approach of Unai Emery at Aston Villa, by deploying two 10s behind a centre-forward, Buonanotte has the platform to flourish.
His finest moment so far was perhaps his goal against Bournemouth on October 5, when he cut inside from the right on his left-foot and then cleverly bypassed Marcos Senesi before smashing the ball into the top corner.
Facundo Buonanotte winning goal vs AFC Bournemouth🎯 #lcfc #leicestercity pic.twitter.com/YDhGMduMeS
“I feel more at ease and comfortable playing in a free role behind the No 9, but if I was to pick the ideal position it would be starting between the centre and the right, coming in from the right with the freedom to move around with the ball,” he says.
“I don’t like to consider myself just as a No 10 or a 7, but somewhere between the two.”
Cooper’s reputation for developing young players was key to Buonanotte joining Leicester. After working with the likes of Marc Guehi and Conor Gallagher at Swansea, and Brennan Johnson and Danilo at Nottingham Forest, Cooper believes Buonanotte’s ceiling is sky-high.
Before Buonanotte signed, Cooper showed him video clips of his games at Brighton from last season and where he wanted him to impact matches with Leicester.
“I spoke in detail with Steve and he played a big part in my decision to come here,” he says. “Playing as a No 10 regularly in the Premier League was something I really wanted and he has shown a lot of confidence in me.
“Even before I’d spoken with Leicester, I knew they were a massive club with a great history.
“I think the team has been developing really well. All the players and coaching staff have seen positive signs, so the result against Forest [a 3-1 defeat last Friday] was a big disappointment.
“You can always have a bad day in football and unfortunately that’s what happened against Forest for quite a few of us. I definitely didn’t play well but it’s all about looking forward now.”
Brighton regard Buonanotte as an integral part of the club’s future and it was a surprise to some fans that he was loaned out.
He made 27 league appearances last season under Roberto De Zerbi, scoring three goals and playing regularly in the second half of the campaign after Solly March sustained a serious knee injury.
Brighton are regarded as one of the best Premier League clubs in handling loan players and they remain in constant contact. Gordon Greer, Brighton’s pathway development manager, is scheduled to meet with Buonanotte next week. Detailed monthly reports of Buonanotte’s matches are compiled, including video clips and feedback on what he is doing well or could improve.
Brighton also speak regularly to Cooper, other Leicester coaches and Jon Sanders, the club’s player liaison officer, to keep up to date on his development.
While Buonanotte will spend the season with Leicester, the clear objective is to continue making him feel valued by Brighton. “They are obviously the club who first showed faith in me in England. They let me know they are still watching me and that I’m in their thoughts.”
Buonanotte admits there are times when he feels bewildered, yet blessed, by the way his career has panned out.
He recalls the time his father, Mauricio, bought him his first football, at the age of four. As he grew up, he played with friends in local district teams – known as equipos de barrio – before performing in the ‘Baby Futbol’ national leagues. 
He also played in small-sided games for Mitre de Pérez until leaving at the age of 10 for Rosario Central, the club his father has always supported. Five years later, he was promoted to the first team from the reserves by manager Kily González, the former Argentina international.
Playing regularly under González’s successor, Tévez, Brighton spotted him quickly and his move, for a fee of around £5.3 million, came last January.
Buonanotte highlights the support of Mauricio – a semi-pro footballer – and mother Pamela as fundamental to his progress. Indeed, shortly after signing for Brighton he bought them a new house in Argentina.
“When you think back, the last two years have been crazy. I do take a moment every now and again to think about it, and I’m really proud and grateful,” he says.
“I’ve not been able to achieve it on my own. The support from my family has been huge. I’m also a religious person and a big believer so a lot of it is also down to God.
“It wasn’t so long ago that I was watching the Premier League on TV at home. To now be playing in the best league in the world is incredible.”
To also be playing alongside Messi at international level is something Buonanotte describes as “unbelievable”. Buoanotte already has two caps for Argentina and was with the squad for last month’s World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia.
“Even watching Messi train is a privilege,” he says “His movement and the way he gets into space is the main thing. Football is not an easy game but he makes it look that way.
“I was on the bench when he scored his hat-trick against Bolivia [in a 6-0 win].
“I was between [Giovani] Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul and we just sat there laughing like schoolkids. He has that effect on all of us, whatever the age. He’s just incredible.”
Ask Leicester’s fans about Buonanotte, and they will probably say something similar.