Prestianni: Mourinho helped me tremendously, I wish him all the best at Real Madrid

Benfica winger Prestianni spoke to Argentine radio station Velez670 Radio about topics including Mourinho, Benfica, and Messi.

Prestianni recalled his early days at Estádio da Luz and the support he received from compatriots Otamendi and Di María: "I feel faster and stronger. The adaptation process was quite difficult. Di María and Otamendi helped me tremendously. I owe everything I have today to them. I once wanted to return to Argentina, but they told me to stay calm. I felt the support of the players and my family."

On former coach Mourinho, Prestianni said: "I used to watch Mourinho on TV, and I was fortunate to play for him. He always pushes you to improve. He's a bit crazy, but in the best way. Real Madrid? Every team wants a coach like Mourinho. I wish him all the best at Real Madrid. He helped me grow tremendously both offensively and defensively. I used to struggle defensively, and he worked hard to help me become a more complete player."

It was after a conversation with Mourinho that he decided to stay at Estádio da Luz: "In January, River Plate tried to sign me from Benfica. There were talks between the clubs. But I spoke with Mourinho, and he asked what I wanted to do. I worked hard, seized the opportunity, and thanks to that conversation, I stayed in Europe and want to succeed here."

Regarding Messi, he recalled a nervous moment: "In my first training session in Alicante, Spain, I said hello to him... and then looked down. During the first training drill next to him, I got the ball and was afraid of making a bad pass. Everything went fine, but I was so nervous."

On the Argentine captain's World Cup hat-trick, he said: "That was incredible. I watched the game at home and couldn't believe it..."