“I always asked God to give me that one opportunity I need to show who I really am”

The right band of Lima Alliance has a new alternative; This is Edinson Chávez, who at the age of 29 comes from Ayacucho to fight for Gino Peruzzi’s position. Chávez confesses to El Comercio about how he came to the blue and white cast and reveals that Alianza wanted him since the time of Pablo Bengoechea.

—How did you come to Alianza Lima?

My representative called me and told me that there were possibilities of going to Alianza Lima. I did not believe the truth: I thought it was a joke. Later, when the Alianza manager wrote to me and Guillermo ‘Chicho’ Salas called me from there, I told myself: this is true.

—What did ‘Chicho’ Salas tell you?

Welcome to Alliance. I am very happy, I thank you for the opportunity, I will not disappoint you. He told me that the technical command, like the board, has high expectations of me to fight for a position and move the team forward. He repeated to me that everything depends on me. I am looking forward to earning a name in Alianza, earning my position in the best way and contributing what I have been doing in these years of experience in professional football.

—What excited you about Alianza Lima?

Apart from being a great team, I think that competition is healthy and makes you grow individually. I think that excited me more: the competition.

—Is this the first time that Alianza Lima has noticed you?

I had a very nice anecdote in 2018, in a classic Alianza vs. Crystal, in the National. I don’t remember how the game turned out, I think we tied, I don’t remember exactly, but as we entered the second half, Professor Bengoechea called me, and covering his mouth, he said: “Edinson, when does your contract at Cristal end? I told him: ‘Profe’, this year and he told me: “Don’t sign for anyone that I want to bring you to Alianza Lima.” And there it was. That was before the start of the second half. The following year he does not continue in Alianza, it was not possible to materialize.

—For you, achieving the three-time championship with Alianza Lima will be a requirement and being able to help the club improve in the Copa Libertadores…

Yes, brother, excited to be able to win the ‘Tri’. Also happy to play a Copa Libertadores, after many years that he did not participate in one. The demands of day-to-day training make the team even more competitive. Even better with the new reinforcements that have arrived and what is yet to come. The leadership with the coaching staff was not wrong in choosing the new reinforcements.

—How did you feel in these first days of training?

Well, thank God, very happy, the group received me well. I know some with whom I have shared a dressing room, such as Ballón and Valenzuela. The group welcomed me and I was very happy to be in Alianza. The training sessions are very hard, but that’s what it’s all about, having a good pre-season so that it lasts all year, knowing that there are two championships, and maybe more.

—What expectations do you have for this 2023 with Alianza Lima?

To be champion with Alianza Lima, which is my desire, and to be a starter in Alianza.

—Being in Alianza Lima, will it bring you closer to the Peruvian team?

I think that every player wants to be in the national team, right? Wherever I am, it is a great possibility to be in a big team like Alianza and if the opportunity arises to make it to the national team, it is welcome. One works so that dreams come true and that would be one of them.

—Professor Guillermo Salas was a right marker, the position in which you play, did he give you some indications?

No, we haven’t talked about it with him yet, there were only tactical instructions in training. The truth is that it is nice to have a coach who has won many things in Peruvian soccer, a player for the Peruvian national team and I think he will contribute a lot to me and he will give me many lessons in what he has been a right-handed marker. The truth, a pleasure.

Will we see an improved version of Edinson Chávez?

This is how it will be, a better version of Edinson Chávez. As I told you, I have been training day by day, fighting, making sacrifices, with everything that can be achieved.

—Did you ever think that you would never play for a big club again?

To be honest, I have always been excited to play again in a big team, I had that desire, that illusion, I always asked God to give me that one and last opportunity that I need to be able to show what I really am.

—Are you afraid that your past in Cristal will make it more complicated for you?

I don’t have to be afraid, one is a professional and that’s why they hire you. I do not deny my heavenly path, I am very grateful to the Sporting Cristal club because it opened the doors of being a professional soccer player and I will always have that respect and affection for it. Thank God I had to win 4 cups with Cristal, national championships and that is hard to forget. I don’t think it’s complicated for me, because as I told you, you have to be a professional wherever you are. Now I defend the blue and white shirt.

—How much have you improved in the brand? That was your big deficit before…

I have improved a lot in these years, it really was my deficit. I believe that with videos, work and dedication you can do a great defensive job. As some technicians told me: “You have the most difficult thing is to attack, you only need to defend.” So, it’s just work and dedication. I am going to make it.