Diego Rebagliati and his analysis after the duels between Sporting Cristal and Alianza Lima in the 2022 Copa Libertadores

This week the matches for Copa Libertadores 2022 were played, both for Sporting Cristal and Alianza Lima. In fact, in both matches they ended in defeat against high-ranking rivals such as Flamengo and River Plate, respectively. However, what was shown on the field left a good feeling for the future. In this regard, Diego Rebagliati made his analysis known, drawing a parallel with the Peruvian national team.

He first explained how they played 'celestes' and 'blues', each with their proposal of play against international teams. “I was trying to draw a parallel with the selection, which is the good example we have. And it also lost to Argentina and Brazil. He left sensations, obviously with different styles, and we can discuss whether Alianza could play a few meters ahead or if this is the approach that best suits him. I think it is much more like the idea that Bustos developed to become champion. Cristal was faithful to what he tries whenever it is to play later, to propose, to put the ball at the level of the ground. The two were quite faithful to their own thing and lost to two top teams,” said the commentator on Movistar Deportes' sports program 'Al Angulo'.

Now, to complete the idea, he was worried, since in the past the national clubs started on the right foot, or at least with good intentions in their first matches, but as the Cup went on, the level was decreasing. “All that, we have already seen. Alianza tied River, Boca here in Lima and then fell apart the other five matches. Cristal played a very good match with Sao Paulo last year. It's true, he lost it worse with a 3-0 and then he wasn't able to beat Racing,” he said.

The comparison with the performance of the 'bicolor' in the qualifying process enters here. And it is that those led by Ricardo Gareca usually win and compete with the rest of the national teams, with the exception of Brazilians and Argentines. For this reason, Rebagliati indicated that Peruvian clubs should aim to face other squads that are not renowned. “I hope that these results were not that they were motivated and they got into the Cup to play that way, in addition to being able to compete with River or Flamengo even in defeat. Because the national team also lost and many matches in the qualifying round. But we are not asking Peruvian teams to win the group, or even to qualify. We are asking them not to finish last with zero points,” he added.

For his part, José Chávarri, another of the program's panelists, intervened and launched an interesting question. “Can you imagine these Peruvian teams playing at that pace in the local tournament? If Alianza plays at this rate in the local tournament, do you think there is one that can beat it? Why can't they play like that? ”, he asked. In the end, both agreed that “The first 25 minutes of Alianza were great in terms of sustaining what a superior team was proposing.”

COPA LIBERTADORES PERFORMANCE

The 'brewer' cast showed great performance and play against 'Mengao' with a football of possession and with the intention of creating danger to it. His coach, Roberto Mosquera, did not skimp and, rather, sought to attack to reach the goal. Percy Liza and Irven Ávila were not fine in the definition and hardly disturbed the Brazilian goalkeeper.

The same happened with the 'intimates', who in the duel with the 'Millionaire', in their style, were able to compete. With that game proposal that won them champion in 2021, they made the stop to a great one from South America, albeit a minimum deconcentration ended his aspirations for a good result.

These exhibitions leave a bad taste, but given what is coming to each one, they are expected to sustain this level and, finally, be able to achieve those long-awaited victories.

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