Key Takeaways
- Bournemouth defender Marco Senesi is looking to bounce back in 2025-26 after an injury-plagued campaign last term.
- Senesi spoke to RG about his ambitions for the season, his injury recovery, and working with manager Andoni Iraola, among other topics.
- “It was a really smooth recovery, and I feel ready to go now,” Senesi said.
Bournemouth's Marco Senesi (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)
We’re just one day away from the opening match of the 2025/26 Premier League season, which will see Bournemouth travel to defending champions Liverpool on Friday. It will be a special fixture for all of the players and staff involved, but perhaps none more so than Marcos Nicolás Senesi Barón. The Argentine veteran will be facing off against his former manager, Arne Slot, whilst he’ll also be looking to put an injury-ravaged 2024/25 season in the rearview mirror and transition from a bench player to a vital cog in defense.
“When I heard about the project and what [Bournemouth] was aiming for, I thought it was a nice and risky movement to do,” stated Senesi in an exclusive RG interview. “Everything can go well or wrong, but in the end, everything went in the right direction, and we are seeing where Bournemouth is heading.”
Sowing The Seeds in Argentina and The Netherlands
Born in Concordia, Entre Ríos, Senesi spent seven years at San Lorenzo’s academy before eventually making his debut on September 25, 2016, in an Argentine Primera División match against Club Atlético Patronato. Bit by bit, Senesi emerged as one of the most promising center-backs in the league, making 72 appearances and impressing both on and off the ball. It’s why Dutch side Feyenoord decided to sign him to a four-year contract on September 2, 2019, paying a reported €7 million for his services.
Senesi enjoyed a seamless transition to European football, becoming an indispensable figure in the backline and displaying his strong tackling ability, his no-nonsense aerial duels, as well as his superb anticipation to come off his line and intercept passes. He also displayed his quality in possession, using his wand of a left foot to break the lines and set up teammates with golden opportunities.
Despite playing as a center back, Senesi racked up nine goals and seven assists in 116 appearances for Feyenoord, and he even won the 2020/21 Eredivisie Goal of the Season for his overhead kick against ADO Den Haag. He took his talents to the next level in 2021/22 under Slot, helping Feyenoord reach the inaugural final of the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they narrowly lost to Roma.
Eligible to represent both the Azzurri and Albiceleste, Senesi was called up to both the Italian and Argentine national teams, who were due to face each other in the 2022 Finalissima or CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions. Ultimately, he decided to go with Argentina, having represented them at the U20 and U23 levels.
Making his Mark in England
Senesi made his first and only Argentina appearance in a friendly vs. Estonia before watching from the bench as reigning Copa América champions Argentina demolished nascent Euro champions Italy 3-0 at Wembley. Two months later, Senesi joined Premier League side Bournemouth on a four-year contract.
“In the Premier League, you have to be ready to give your 100% in every game, whilst in the Eredivisie, sometimes you can have a good game despite not being at 100%. When I was playing for Feyenoord, most of the opponents would have a really low block and so you’d always have the ball and would have more energy in your legs…there’s a big difference in the physicality.”
It didn’t take long for Senesi to justify his €15 million price tag and establish himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for the newly promoted side, who escaped an early relegation scrap and finished 15th in the table. But despite defying the odds and rescuing them from the drop, Gary O’Neill was sacked as manager at the end of the season, with Andoni Iraola replacing him.
The decision was initially derided as the Cherries failed to win any of their opening nine fixtures (losing six), but soon, the Spaniard was able to implant his tactical setup on his players and turn the tide. Bournemouth were no longer aiming to scrape by and avoid relegation by the skin of their teeth – they were now playing without fear and taking their game to the best teams in England.
“I think we just struggled at the beginning with his idea of football until we started doing it well. [Iraola] gave us information about the teams we would play, how to play against them, how to press them, which makes it easier for us. We go and try to play every game the same way…it can go wrong or right, but from there, we’ve managed to win matches. If you’re just going with a low block against a bigger team, it’s better not to go at all, because you’re just giving up.”
Dealing With Injury Hell
After guiding them to a 12th-place finish in 2023/24, Senesi picked up where he left off by excelling in central defense alongside Ilya Zabarnyi. However, on November 30, he was withdrawn during the final minutes of a 4-2 win against Wolves after being on the receiving end of a painful sliding tackle. Senesi needed to undergo surgery in order to recuperate from his quadriceps injury, missing four months of action.
As Senesi convalesced from the first long-term injury of his career, new signing Dean Huijsen took his spot on the left side of defense, emerging as one of the finest young defenders on the continent and even becoming a starter for the Spanish national team. It meant that, by the time Senesi returned for the home stretch of the campaign, he had to content himself with brief cameos off the bench as Bournemouth placed ninth in the table.
Since then, the Cherries have lost three defensive starters to three of the biggest clubs in Europe. Zabarnyi and Huijsen have joined the last two Champions League winners (Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid) for a combined €125.5 million, whilst Milos Kerkez has joined Liverpool for €46.9 million.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
Bournemouth have retooled their squad by replacing Kerkez with Rennes left back Adrien Truffert, in addition to replacing outgoing goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga with another Chelsea shot-stopper in Djordje Petrovic; they’ve also reportedly lined up a deal to sign Lille defender Bafodé Diakité for €35 million plus €5 million in add-ons. All told, it means that Senesi – who has played 89 times for Bournemouth – will play a vital role not just as the club’s defensive linchpin, but as an experienced role model who can help get the younger arrivals up to speed.
“I think all the young players who are coming to the club are respectful and have worked hard to play in the Premier League, so we don’t have to be on top of them. They just follow and see how the oldest players train and behave, so it’s good to demonstrate this example for them.”
At 28 years of age, Marcos Senesi has thrived in the top divisions of Argentina, the Netherlands, and England, and today, he looks set to play a crucial role for a new-look Bournemouth side as they seek to continue their upward rise and consolidate their presence for a fifth-straight Premier League season. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll find his way back into the Argentina squad as they push to successfully defend their World Cup title in next summer’s tournament in North America.
“Lately, I haven’t really been thinking much about Argentina, because after recovering from my injury, it’s hard to think about that. I’m just trying to get back to my level, play football, and from there, we’ll see what happens. Of course, it’s a dream to pay for your national team and represent your country at a World Cup, but I’m just thinking about being fit and being able to play. It will be an exciting season for me.”
