When Juan Reynoso announced the squad list for the friendly matches in Asia, the name of christian cave raised many doubts. His present at Alianza Lima was not the best and he was not physically fit. However, the ‘Chess player’ decided to support him to reintegrate him into the squad thinking about the Qualifiers and this Friday he gave him minutes in the victory of the Peruvian team about South Korea (1-0). Although the second half was marred by the large number of changes, the 31-year-old midfielder showed some sparks.
After the final whistle, ‘Aladdin’ spoke with Movistar Sports and he analyzed what he experienced this morning (night in South Korea), rescuing the good level shown by his teammates. “This victory leaves us all very calm and it was shown that there is a very well prepared group where anyone can play as a starter”, he stated.
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“I think the team always tried to play well when we got together, like we always did. I really loved the attitude and humility that everyone had to face this friendly. Definitely, always winning will help us a lot, and that makes us very happy.”, he added.
Although obviously he is not there to be a starter, Cueva was self-critical of himself and recognized that now there will be more competition within the Peruvian team, something that will be positive for the next Qualifiers. “There was always competition and the most important thing is to put together a good squad for any type of circumstance, especially now that the Qualifiers are coming up, which will be stronger than the last two, taking into account that there will be one more quota and all the teams will come out with all”, he pointed out.
In the same way, he took his substitution very well and said that the only one who can decide if he is a starter or not will be Juan Reynoso. “I am not one to ask the coach to be a starter or complain when I remain as a substitute. I get along very well with Juan, and it is a joy that a national coach directs us in the National Team. He has all the ability to decide who starts in a game because he has several ideas to translate them on the pitch.”, he added.
On the other hand, when asked about the return of Paolo Guerrero to the ‘Blanquirroja’, Cueva was happy to have the captain’s rank again. “Paolo’s thing is incredible because he continues to have that hunger for competition that is contagious. The same happens with ‘Yoshi’ who runs the whole game, honestly that’s contagious. Paolo was not with us for a long time, and therefore having him here makes us very happy”, he confessed.
Let’s remember that during the last weeks Cueva has been the flank of many criticisms from the fans, since they consider that for now he has not shown the level in Alianza Lima to be summoned to the Peruvian National Team. However, Christian doesn’t see it that way. On the contrary, he gave a forceful response in which he reflected that with him the looks are different and they demand more from him than from the rest.
“That is why the issue of the knee injury cut me off from physical preparation, it is not a justification, but you have to analyze things as they are. They all focus on me, but I’m not Messi, Neymar or Maradona, I’m one more”, said the midfielder, emphasizing the knee injury he suffered during his first games with the ‘Intimates’.
Finally, when asked by Bryan Reyna –author of the winning goal and the best player of the match–, ‘Aladino’ only had words of praise. “Bryan is a boy I met in the National Team and now I have him as a teammate in Alianza, and honestly it makes me very happy to see how things are going for him. I am not the one to give him advice, but I wish him the best and that in life he always puts God and his family first. He is a humble boy, from the neighborhood, and I have no doubt that he will maintain that confidence to continue doing things very well.”, he pointed out.
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When will the Peruvian National Team play again?
After this first international friendly in Asia, the Peruvian team will play again next week when it is his turn to visit his similar Japan. This commitment is scheduled for Tuesday, June 20 from 4:55 am (Peruvian time) and will be held at the Panasonic Stadium Suita, located in the city of Osaka.
Let’s remember that the ‘Blanquirroja’ squad will be completed this Saturday the 17th when Gianluca Lapadula arrives in Osaka to join Juan Reynoso’s training sessions thinking about the last preparation duel against the ‘Blue Samurai’. Although the ‘Chess player’ has not yet defined his eleventh for that match, everything indicates that ‘Lapagol’ will take over from Paolo Guerrero as center forward.
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