Peru vs. Uruguay: journalist 'charrua' spoke about this duel and warned of the midfield of 'La Celeste'

The Peruvian national team will play this Thursday, March 24 against the Uruguayan team as part of the 17th date of the South American Qualifiers. The Centenario stadium will burn in this duel that promises a lot for what is in dispute: the long-awaited quota for the Qatar 2022 World Cup. In that sense, journalist Diego Muñoz referred to this clash, acknowledging the great matches that the 'bicolor' made on a visit.

“It's going to be a very disputed match. Uruguay is very clear that it is going to be an extreme game and that it has to prepare for that. Peru is a rival that, historically, has caused many inconveniences and Uruguay is very clear about it. With defeats even at the Centenario stadium. There is a reality for which Uruguay has to be prepared, and that is to cope with the pressure that the celestes team will have, because it seems that it is the main protagonist and will have to bear responsibility for the match,” the journalist commented in an interview for the program 'Equipo F' of ESPN Peru.

And it is that the 'white-red' has been responding in complex situations, showing rebellion and desire to move forward. It is enough to remember and leave until 2004, when they managed to beat the ones led by then Uruguayan Jorge Fossati 3-1. Nolberto Solano, Claudio Pizarro and Jefferson Farfan were the authors of the annotations, while Diego Forlan discounted for the locals.

This result was the last Peruvian victory in 'Charrúas' lands, so with Ricardo Gareca they will seek to repeat that feat and achieve a victory that will allow him to have a foot and a half in the world championship event.

CHANGES IN THE ONCE OF URUGUAY

On the other hand, Muñoz spoke about the variants that 'La Celeste' has had under the command of Diego Alonso, who replaced the legendary Oscar Washington Tabárez at the beginning of 2022. “There are no major changes compared to the team with Alonso that Tabárez was doing. If you look closely, the big change is Pellistri, which was the name that nobody had in the plans and that Alonso included as a starter, being uneven against Venezuela. And Matías Olivera, the guy from Getafe who played for the left back. He was also a player that Tabarez did not call. The rest of the team is the same one that played with Tabarez. Except for Rochet, who was the starting goalkeeper in both matches with Alonso, but considering that Muslera was not available due to injury. Faced with that, the rest of the team repeats itself and comes out of memory,” he said.

APPEARANCE OF PELLISTRI

Precisely, the ESPN Uruguay journalist touched on the topic of the inclusion of Facundo Pellistri, who was the big surprise but who left a good image in the matches against Paraguay and Venezuela. “Pellistri is the big name, but no one counted on him on the first roster, not in the starting team, or even on the squad list. Pellistri came and played. And although he did not have a great performance against Paraguay, the coach included him in the starting team against Venezuela. He ended up generating the action that opened the match with decisive plays, participating in three of the four goals. Given that, Pellistri who has no shooting, without minutes at Alavés, in an opposite number in the starting team on Thursday,” he explained.

KEY IN THE MIDFIELD

Finally, Diego revealed that the game strategy of the 'celeste' cast would have a modification and would focus on the flyers. “I think the most significant change has to do with midfield. Alonso has given Uruguay's midfield a hierarchy. He gave Valverde and Bentancur the keys to the game. Before, the team had another axis of power, it was born in Godin and ended up in Suarez. Now they are tremendous referents, extraordinary players, leaders on and off the court, but they are there for the specific moments of the match where they are required. The weight of the game is carried by the wheel of Tottenham (Bentancur) and the steering wheel of Real Madrid (Valverde),” he said.

Rodrigo Bentancur (24) and Federico Valverde (23) have been playing well in their respective clubs. The first reached the English team in the last pass market from Juventus in Italy, while the second is increasingly settled in the 'White House', being the first replacement option for the trident Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Therefore, they arrive with the experience of the Old Continent to hurt and win the duel to the 'bicolor'.

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