After finishing his time at Real Betis, Ezequiel "Chimy" Ávila left one of the most striking reflections on the football industry. The Argentine forward, who recently terminated his contract with the Andalusian club, questioned the way footballers are treated when they stop being protagonists.
In an interview with Referentes Podcast, the former San Lorenzo was direct in describing his view of the business. "Football is a legalized human trafficking", he stated, before delving into the reasons for that definition. "Is money made? Yes, the player makes money. Even when he scores goals or when he serves", Ávila explained, who implied that recognition within clubs depends exclusively on sporting performance.
The attacker, closely followed by Boca in this transfer market, was even more graphic when referring to how many players feel when they lose prominence. "Then you become an old machine, a new machine is needed", he expressed, in a statement that quickly generated a response.
Ávila described football as "legalized human trafficking"
The words of the Rosario native come shortly after closing his cycle at Betis, a club he joined in 2023 after standing out at Osasuna. However, injuries and the strong internal competition for a place in the team limited his participation and ultimately accelerated his departure.
Before wearing the green and white jersey, Ávila had built a solid career in Spanish football. After emerging at Tiro Federal and standing out at San Lorenzo, he landed at Huesca, where he began to make a name for himself in La Liga thanks to his power and display. His best version came at Osasuna, where he established himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the league and made the definitive leap to Betis.
The numbers of Chimy Ávila at Betis
In his two and a half year cycle with the Andalusian team, the Argentine played 2,765 minutes, spread over 68 matches, in which he scored 8 goals, provided 5 assists, and received 15 yellow cards and 2 red cards, one for double booking and another direct.
