Everyone knows the situation of ‘Aladdin’. Cueva did not go to training last Monday without authorization and practically broke all the trust that existed between him and the technical command led by Guillermo Salas. They have not allowed him to work alongside his colleagues since then and it is a fact, except for a miracle, that he will not be in front of the celestial ones. On his part, Yotún does have a sporting reason for not playing: he was sent off in the previous match against Unión Comercio for a foul that still sparks controversy and he will watch the game from the stands, as one more fan. Under this scenario and at the gates of Alianza Lima vs. Sporting Cristal, which team loses the most in football?
The reinvention of ‘Yoshi’
Since the light blue team overcame the internal problem between the players and the coach, there was a change of chip in Yoshimar Yotún. In fact, the captain was pointed out as one of those responsible for this disagreement with Tiago Nunes that almost ended in the Brazilian’s resignation. But the dialogue prevailed and from then on the left-handed was reborn. His level of play, his significance on the field and his leadership appeared to guide a team that today has recovered that label of candidate for the title. Cristal has gone 14 undefeated matches and Yotún is part of that local and international success, because the sky-blues are also still in the race in the Copa Sudamericana.
Regarding the numbers, Yoshimar was in 63% of the games that Cristal has played so far this year (Liga 1 and Copa Libertadores). Furthermore, according to sofascoreHis best performance was against River Plate (8.0 score), at the National Stadium, for the international tournament and in which he signed one of the two goals he has recorded so far this season. His regularity is evident and that has allowed him to return to the Peruvian team on a high: he was the best on the field in the friendly against South Korea and one of the most applauded by the fans of the bicolor.
At 33 years old and at a good time, his absence will be felt against Alianza Lima, because Nunes is forced to cover his absence with what is at hand. Martín Távara appears as his main replacement, but it is also an option for the DT to modify the game system to maintain intensity and complicate the rival. That is to say, Cristal depends a lot on Yotún, because he is the one who connects the threads of the team and makes it work. There is the challenge of DT.
- Yotún’s numbers this year with Sporting Cristal:
games played | minutes played | goals | assists |
---|---|---|---|
19 | 1501′ | 2 | 2 |
The fall of ‘Aladdin’
Christian Cueva went from being the signing of the year to living a nightmare due to his own actions. He arrived as the luxury footballer who distributed ‘chocolate’ in the national team and promised to do the same in Alianza Lima. The intention of the club was clear with the signing of him from the sporting and commercial aspects. They hired him to advance in the Copa Libertadores and not to experience what they are experiencing today. ‘Aladdin’ could never be the same, he failed to get in good physical shape, he did not give enough arguments to win the starting position and he did not make a difference on the field, even when he had several opportunities to do so. What we did see from him were sparks of good football that dazzled the stands, but he was not convincing beyond that. And today, that story can have a fatal outcome for both of them. Cueva is almost out of Alianza and Alianza lost a great player. However, from a football point of view, Guillermo Salas has something to defend himself with and where to get his hands on it.
Statistics say that Cueva was in 58% of the games that Alianza Lima played this year, including Liga 1 and Copa Libertadores. He only started eight times and the number of minutes he logged is below what was expected of him. But, compared to reality, his absence will go unnoticed, because ‘Aladdin’ had not been a starter. The starter for Salas is Jairo Concha and before the injury it was Andrés Andrade. In this sense, it is easy for the DT to replace the wheel of the bicolor; but the problem is that what can come: Alianza no longer has Pablo Lavandeira, the ‘Rifle’ Andrade has no return date and Cueva is forgotten. So, Concha can’t even catch a cold because Salas is left without his organizer. There, Alianza does lose more than necessary.
- Cueva’s numbers this year with Alianza Lima:
games played | minutes played | goals | assists |
---|---|---|---|
fifteen | 776′ | 0 | 1 |
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