Universitario has played 21 games this season, 16 in Liga 1 and 5 in the Copa Sudamericana.
in defense
Matías Di Benedetto (30 years old). He landed from Central Córdoba in Argentina and quickly earned the starting position with Carlos Compagnucci. Later, Fossati ratified it in his line of three. The Argentine central defender has never been a substitute in the cream team. He has played 19 games, between Liga 1 and Copa Sudamericana, and he has played all of them since the beginning. He scored a goal against Santa Fe de Colombia. He was showing a good performance, but in recent matches his level has not been the same.
Williams Riveros (30 years old). He did not have the best debut in the ‘U’, as he was blamed for the defeat against Unión Comercio. Later, he recovered and established himself as one of the starting central defenders in Fossati’s eleven. He was even key in the tie against Goiás from Brazil at the Monumental, as the Paraguayan scored the first goal. He had remarkable performances in both the national and continental tournaments, but lately he has not been showing good performances. Against UTC, for example, he was sent off when the score went against the cream team. He has played 17 games as a starter and has recorded one goal this season.
Marco Saravia (24 years old). He arrived at the ‘U’ after passing through Municipal. And so far in the Opening he has played 8 matches, in 4 he started. When he has had to play, he has not done badly. He records an assist: the one he gave during the victory over Sport Boys. That time the cream team thrashed ‘Misilera’ 3-0. He has also had minutes in the South American when he entered almost at the end in the duel against Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata. In all the matches that he was present, the ‘U’ always won.
Jose Lujan (26 years old). On November 21, 2022, Universitario announced the signing of the 26-year-old central defender on his social networks. It came from Melgar. However, so far, the defender has not debuted in the cream shirt. Neither Compagnucci nor Fossati have used or summoned it.
Jose Bolivar (23 years old). Last season he was in Sport Boys and this year he was signed by the ‘U’. He registers, to date, 3 assists: two in the Apertura and one in the South American. He has been a substitute in 14 games this season, but entered seven of them. And he only started four times: against Binacional, Atlético Grau, Sport Boys and César Vallejo. The only two times that he played the 90 minutes was against the ‘Powerful of the South’ and against the ‘poets’. He was not called up for the confrontation against UTC de Cajamarca. He disputes the position of left lane with Nelson Cabanillas, today’s starter.
Hugo Ancajima (25 years old). After completing his relationship with ADT, the 25-year-old right-back arrived at the ‘U’ in 2023, but he has not been able to win the starting position, because under Fossati’s system and following the merengue coach, Andy Polo fits better as winger on the right wing. However, he has been able to contribute with an assist this season. That yes, Ancajima has been summoned in the 21 games of the student club, but he only started 7 of them, while in another 3 he entered during the second half. In the last 7 days of the Apertura, he has been a substitute.
Player | goals | assists | games played | Headline | Alternate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matias Di Benedetto | 1 | 1 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
Williams Riveros | 1 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 1 |
Marco Saravia | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | fifteen |
Jose Lujan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jose Bolivar | 0 | 3 | eleven | 4 | 14 |
Hugo Ancajima | 0 | 1 | 10 | 7 | 14 |
in midfield
Rodrigo Urena (30 years old). The Chilean midfielder has proven to be one of the best Universitario hires. He was vital in the victory over Santa Fe de Colombia at the Monumental and also in the victories over Sporting Cristal and Sport Boys. Recently, against UTC, the ‘U’ lost, but Ureña played a good game. He is a starter in the merengue squad and the 19 games he has played he has done since the start. He registers an assist (in the duel against the rosés).
Horacio Calcaterra (34 years old). After he left Cristal, ‘Calca’ was signed by ‘U’. In his first four games with Compagnucci in charge, he started. But with the arrival of Fossati he became a substitute, being a spare part for Piero Quispe. However, given the injury Quispe suffered, Calcaterra returned to the title and when he has played he has shown that he can be the driver of the cream game. At the moment, he has contributed with two goals and two assists.
Martin Perez Guedes (31 years old). The Argentine arrived from Melgar and with Universitario he has played all the team’s matches this season, starting 20 matches, between those corresponding to Liga 1 and Libertadores. He was only a substitute in front of Mannucci. He has scored 2 goals and his game has been important in the scheme of the Merengue team. He has been doing a good job in the attacking midfield.
Yuriel Celi (21 years old). He arrived as one of the great signings of Universitario, but, to date, he has not made the grade. He is not at the best level of him. The 21-year-old midfielder has not been able to show the characteristics that he had when he was at Cantolao and Mannucci, and for which he was signed by the cream team. He has only played 107 minutes spread over 7 games. In all he entered during the second half. He has not been able to convince Fossati of his qualities.
Player | goals | assists | games played | Headline | Alternate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rodrigo Urena | 0 | 1 | 19 | 19 | 0 |
Horace Calcaterra | 2 | 2 | twenty | 10 | 10 |
Martin Perez Guedes | 2 | 0 | twenty-one | twenty | 1 |
Yuriel Celi | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
in the attack
Jose Rivera (26 years old). With Compagnucci, he was a starter. But he became a substitute with the arrival of Fossati. However, in recent games the Uruguayan coach has made him start. For example, he started from the initial whistle in 4 of the last 5 Opening dates (against Cristal, Boys, Alianza Atlético and UTC). He has also played in four Libertadores games. The ‘Tunche’ has recorded a goal and an assist this season.
Alex Valera (27 years old). The striker returned after his stay at Al Fateh and has become the top scorer for the Merengue team with 9 goals (10 if we add the goal he scored against Goiás in the South American Cup). He is undoubtedly the ‘9 ′ of Universitario and a key piece in the starting eleven of Ate’s box. He has also assisted on 2 occasions in the season. His return did the ‘U’ good.
Emanuel Herrera (36 years old). In 2018, he played for Cristal and scored 40 goals. He arrived to try to match that mark with the ‘U’; he should have been the great ‘9 ′ of the cream team, but it has not been like that. He has been able to score 7 times, between Liga 1 and Libertadores, but he is far from reaching it with the light blue jacket. With the meringues, the Argentine has started 15 times, while he was a substitute on 6. He has also given 2 assists.
Roberto Siucho (26 years old). After recovering his Peruvian nationality, he was announced as a Universitario player in March. He had done the preseason with the squad and was liked by the former cream coach Carlos Compagnucci. However, to date, he has not been able to debut. He was called up for the duel against ADT, but remained on the bench. According to the sports director of the club Manuel Barreto, Roberto Siucho would be suffering from bone edema, for which he is not physically fit. He has a contract until the end of 2024.
Player | goals | assists | games played | Headline | Alternate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
jose rivera | 1 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 12 |
alex valera | 10 | 2 | fifteen | eleven | 4 |
Emmanuel Herrera | 7 | 2 | twenty-one | fifteen | 6 |
Roberto Siucho | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What positions should the ‘U’ reinforce in the face of the Clausura?
In Universitario, surely they must already be thinking about bringing reinforcements for the Clausura. There is a lot of talk about Edison Flores. The arrival of ‘Orejas’ would contribute a lot to the team’s midfielder, so that it connects with Calcaterra and Pérez Guedes or with Quispe. Thus, the students would have more play in the midfield. Perhaps a new winger could also help the ‘U’ to compete with Polo and Cabanillas.
In defense, what it would be up to Universitario is for his line of three to regain confidence or to make Saravia play more. That will be determined by the Uruguayan professor. The fact is that the ‘U’ must arrive in good condition to be able to fight for the Clausura title.
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