Peru and Chile are on equal points and both started the Qualifiers without winning. How do you envision this new ‘Pacific classic’?
In the last Qualifier we had the same score, but Chile did not qualify, Peru did. We are also aware that it is a difficult game for us, in the sense that we no longer have a complete team, which gave us peace of mind that we could get good results at home and away. Today we are testing teams, with a coach who has not given this team what it needs. In the first two dates we have gotten one point.
Chile has the advantage of playing at home…
The least you can lose are home points. That gives peace of mind to be able to see the classification, today Chile does not have it. We still do not have that key that gives us peace of mind, it is given by one, two or three, who are not at a high level like Alexis Sánchez. He was out for more than a month, and it is logical that this also complicates things for the technician.
Peru maintains the universe of players who qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, except for some new faces…
He has also maintained his style, demonstrated by his two games against Paraguay and Brazil, so in that sense you already have a team formed with Ricardo Gareca, there is not much change, Reynoso maintains a base, but we do not. Chile has little, and our coach has had a hard time with that situation.
Do you consider that both are on equal football terms?
I think it will be an even match. It will be a more strategic match, they should not get desperate. Suddenly, when things don’t work out, Peru becomes desperate. By playing well, being intelligent, Peru and Chile can get a better result.
Peru has never won at the Monumental in Santiago…
All stories can change, they are variable. We must have peace of mind at home to get the three points for a classification.
Juan Reynoso, his rival in national teams, will debut as a coach in the ‘Pacific classics’…
He has been smart to keep those who were playing. The variation has been very little, the players remain, and in that sense he is adapting to the football he proposes. Chile, on the other hand, changed the coach, but does not maintain the way of playing. Peru with Reynoso is keeping its players, and that complicates, since they already know their game plan.
What stands out about the Peruvian team?
The players have been much more responsible in these qualifiers. They are committed, their mentality has changed, and the players at the international level are well classified, which helps Juan Reynoso a lot to have a good selection.
He faced Peru in the Qualifiers, Copa Americas, and mostly came out victorious…
It is the experience that one takes, there were difficult situations, but the important thing was always that one reached a coach. For example, Ricardo Gareca believed in the Peruvian players, that was very important for their qualification for the World Cup.
Chile has the British Ben Brereton, and Peru has the Italian Gianluca Lapadula, absent due to injury, but they recently called up the Danish Oliver Sonne. What do you think of the nationalized ones?
If they have the ability and will be fundamental pieces, they must be brought in, they must not be denied. We have to see if they perform the same in the national team as in their teams, the personality is seen in international matches when they put on their team’s shirt. If they respond to that pressure, it is difficult, but if there are regulations, every technician can use them.
We all hope that the classic is peaceful on and off the field…
You have to hope that everything turns out well. Today there are so many problems in the world that creating one more in sport is neither logical nor fair. See it as a football match, the situation that occurs in the world, let’s hope that a sport that we all love is not damaged.
Universitario fans always remember him. Currently, the team is at the top and fighting to win the Clausura Tournament that would qualify them to play in the playoffs against Alianza Lima…
I hope Universitario has the desire to be champion. All of us who love the ‘U’, and we are creams, are going to be happy to see him champion after so many years. For me it would be a nice end to the year for the ‘U’ to be champion, it would be like Chile qualifying in a Qualifier. Universitario has all the conditions to be champion, I hope he achieves it. I will be very happy from Chile.
On the Universitario team there is a Chilean, Rodrigo Ureña, who is working to write a new story inspired by what you left…
I am a grateful University student. I went to Peru at a not so young age, but I was lucky enough to win a national title, the same with Cristal, I only needed to play in Alianza to represent the big three of Peru. In general, I have immense affection for cream people. Here in Chile, ‘Pato’ Letelier is very loved by Peruvians, and that gives me great satisfaction in being the most loved Chilean in Universitario.
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