Franco Zanelatto, the star who celebrates as a Christian and maintains the faith of Alianza in the Opening and the Cup

Three shots on target, three goals. It is the statistic that relates the great moment that Franco Zanelatto has. But his actions with Alianza Lima go beyond the goal, he is today being the different player that the intimate team has, which leads the Opening Tournament with 18 points, two more than Universitario and Cristal.

The 22-year-old attacker appeared with a brace for Alianza Lima’s 2-0 win over Cienciano on Saturday night. He appeared to tell Alianza how to face the duel against a team from Cusco that came to friction. And Zanelatto understood it that way.

In fouls, both teams tied for 23 a side. Which shows how tight the match was, especially the first half. And Zanelatto never wrinkled in going to the clash for which he received two strong fouls, one of which seemed to take him off the field by Carlos Beltrán.

Two goals, one in a play that he started himself, another taking advantage of that great sense of location that he has to define as ‘9’. Two goals that say that he is the most regular “substitute” that Alianza Lima has. He got into the eleven due to Bryan Reyna’s injury and with good performances it can be said that he is an undisputed player in the local eleven, a great option for the Copa Libertadores.

“Last year I would see it on TV and now live it. It’s a party here, ”he says about playing in a full Matute, and better, celebrating goals in front of the great blue and white fans. “I seek to make the most of every opportunity that comes my way,” said the attacker.

Celebrate with your hands on your chest, like Cristiano Ronaldo. He has not explained the reason for this way of celebrating the goals, but the image that he is commenting on at the moment. Even the same Alianza Lima club nicknames him “El Bicho”, for that ‘imitation of CR7.

His story

Franco Zanelatto is another good decision by Alianza Lima. He trained at the San Martín University and made his debut in the First Division in 2019. Alianza bought him at the end of 2021, but instead of having him in a squad that already had many players for the position, the intimates decided to loan him to Alianza Atlético so that he could have minutes.

And Zanelatto added minutes and goals. 7 goals in 28 games with the sullanenses confirmed his great evolution. With San Martín before, he added 5 in 33 between 2020-21. That is why he joined the millionaire Alianza squad for this 2023 despite the presence of Gabriel Costa and Bryan Reyna as wingers.

He was born in Paraguay, but arrived in Peru at just 7 years old and began playing soccer in the Adecore Tournament (Colegio Carmelitas) until he was picked up by San Martín to be trained as a professional. In 2017 he passed tests at the Academia Marcet in Barcelona.

“Overflow and maturity”, this is how the Spanish academy described it in a note that it made about him when he defended his colors. Also Leonardo Villar – today in Sport Huancayo – passed these tests in Catalan territory.

Since November of last year, he has had Peruvian nationality, so he does not occupy a quota for foreigners in the intimate squad. It is Franco Zanelatto, the figure that has awakened in Alianza Lima and has placed the intimates at the top of the Opening Tournament.

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