In the season, ‘Cuevita’ has only played six games, two in the Libertadores and four in the Apertura. In three of them, he was the starter, although he was later replaced. In addition, he has not scored any goals or provided any assists. The problem is that the national midfielder did not land in his best form and, since his arrival at the beginning of March, he has been training to recover his good level. And when he was getting it, he hit his right knee in the duel against Atlético Grau in Piura, being changed in the first half, which caused concern in the blue and white technical command.
The grone midfielder was not before Cienciano, but he did appear, from the beginning, in the duel against Paranaense from Brazil, where he did not show a great performance. Later, his knee discomfort worsened and he was unable to play against Alianza Atlético Sullana. Today he is better, although he continues to play a few minutes (the exception was against Unión Comercio). The next match for the Victorian team will be against Carlos A. Mannucci, but Cueva will not be fit for the red card they gave him the previous day. However, he could have minutes against César Vallejo, as he will already be available.
Since his first training with Alianza Lima, on March 7, about 60 days have passed.
The problem is that ‘Cuevita’ does not appear and it should already do so. The time has passed when he had to adapt to the campus. The fan already wants to see that mischievous and decisive midfielder, who leads the team’s game. He wants to see that agile and aggressive player in action who surpasses his rivals. I want to see that important player that Christian Cueva starts, because that way he will have more options to play the decisive match of the Libertadores against Libertad de Paraguay, in just over two weeks.
tournaments | Date | Cave party in season | minutes played | State |
---|---|---|---|---|
Opening (League 1) | March, 19 | Sport Huancayo 2-1 Lima Alliance | 19 | Alternate |
Opening (League 1) | March 26th | Athletic Grau 1-2 Lima Alliance | 22 | Headline |
Libertadores Cup | april 04 | Alianza Lima 0-0 Club Athletico Paranaense | 71 | Headline |
Opening (League 1) | April 15 | Lima Alliance 3-0 Cantolao | 12 | Alternate |
Opening (League 1) | April 23rd | Trade Union 1-3 Lima Alliance | 74 | Headline |
Libertadores Cup | May 3 | Atletico Mineiro 2-0 Lima Alliance | 18 | Alternate |
What does Cueva need to play against Libertad?
The blue and white ’10’ need minutes to be able to arrive in optimal conditions for the confrontation against Libertad, which will take place in Lima and which will be like a ‘final’ for the intimate. “Cueva said that he is training double shifts to get ready. He knows that he needs reinforcement at work to get closer to 100%. All of a sudden, he plays against Libertad, but I don’t think he’ll make it complete, maybe 65 to 70 minutes. It depends on the requirement of the party. He already knows how to dose. He’s going to have a hard time getting up to speed. The process is slow with him”tells us Víctor Zaferson, soccer scout and sports journalism professor at ISIL.
“Cueva needs to play and add the most minutes”highlight the teacher, and then add: “That is progressive. I don’t think he’ll play 90′ right away. They will be 60′, 70′, 80′ and so on. All this is measured in the technical command. It is not happening in Alianza that Salas has Cueva in optimal condition, so he will have to use the amount of time they have scheduled according to his evolution in double-shift work ”.
The journalist Jaime Valderrama, host of Nacional Deportes and commentator for Liga 1 on Radio Nacional, also indicates that ‘Aladino’ needs to add minutes to be able to return to his level. “ANDhe Thursday that Alianza plays against César Vallejo, I think Salas should start Cueva to get him up to speed and, above all, to give rest to those who have had several games in a row”says the communicator. “Because if not, when are you going to put it up? I think that against Vallejo it is a good situation for Cueva to start”, he prolongs.
For Valderrama these next seven days, “If Cueva is physically well, they will be key so that he can participate in the Libertadores”. “If Salas wants to have Cueva for the match against Libertad in Matute and get the best out of him, he is obliged to give him minutes. He has no other”reiterates the sports journalist.
Upcoming Alianza matches | tournaments | dates |
---|---|---|
Lima Alliance vs. mannucci | Opening (League 1) | May 07 |
Lima Alliance vs. Cesar Vallejo | Opening (League 1) | May 11 |
Lima Alliance vs. Municipal | Opening (League 1) | may 14 |
Melgar vs. Lima Alliance | Opening (League 1) | may 19 |
Lima Alliance vs. Freedom | Libertadores Cup | may 23 |
Is Cave necessary?
And in this Libertadores, does Alianza really urgently need ‘Cuevita’? “I think that it does require it urgently, because there are three games left in the Cup and two are at home. Those have to win them to advance. If (Cueva) does not reach at least 70%, it is certain that Salas will continue betting on Andrade and Lavandeira “responds Zaferson, while Valderrama maintains that “not necessarily”.
“I think Salas has found a team that can hurt any rival. Obviously, anything can happen against the Brazilians, like what happened with Mineiro or what happened with Paranaense. Now, that the team can become a ‘cave dependent’? I do not think so. I think there are other footballers like Lavandeira, like Concha, Andrade himself, Reyna or Aldair Rodríguez who can give the team interesting things, and the team doesn’t necessarily depend on Cueva”says the journalist.
The fact is that Alianza needs a win this May 23rd when they host Libertad from Paraguay in Matute, so ‘Chicho Salas will have to do his best. If Cueva arrives in optimal condition and with rhythm, it may be of great help in that match and, especially, in the objective of the intimate institution, which is to advance to the round of 16 of this continental tournament.
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