Pablo Sabbag and Rodrigo Ureña: are they the best foreign reinforcements for Alianza and the ‘U’ in recent years?

At the beginning of the 1990s, players arrived in Peruvian soccer with a retirement ticket in hand or a scrawny CV that summarized improbable feats in unknown clubs. One of them was Rosinaldo Lopes de Souza, a solid Brazilian striker presented as a reinforcement for Alianza Lima in the 1990 season. The year in which an unknown mathematics professor won the presidency for the most successful of our living writers, the Bahian was also a surprise. His scoring nose soon earned him the affection of the fans, as well as his fury fueled by accumulated years without a champion. Despite this, he led the blue and white attack for three seasons and reached a record that is still unbeatable: 38 goals. No foreign player has scored so many times in the Victorian shirt.

Pablo Sabagg is far from Rosinaldo’s record, but no one doubts that his incorporation is one of the most important that Alianza has made in the last 20 years. In just 8 games he has accumulated 5 goals and is, almost unanimously, the great figure of the 1st League. He is endorsed not only by his goals -several of them made with the grace of a goldsmith’s product- but also by his ability to get rid of brands festering and making spaces in unlikely places. It is hard to believe that a striker of his talent can play in these payments. It’s hard to imagine that he can stay with us much longer.

The war for the TV rights of League 1, told in Dragon Ball Super style:

His reign as the best foreigner in the league is being discussed by a Chilean with the face of a nightclub bodyguard: Rodrigo Ureña. The central midfielder of Universitario arrived amidst the noise of the fans who were demanding the abundance of midfielders on the squad and the injustice of sacrificing the good Jorge Murrugarra. The ‘Pitbull’ started badly. He looked overwhelmed and doubtful. Little by little he has been taking over the cream central circle, ruling at the point of cuts, crosses and long-distance ball shots. Without being Velásquez or Marangoni, his thing is quite and a wide start, sustained by the work of the interior midfielders.

When deciding who is the best, the journalist Mauricio Loret de Mola opted for the ‘Sheikh’ because “he caught on quickly and opened the can of games with his goals”. The Colombian -he summarizes- relieved Alianza in many matches. “He seems to be a more positional player, but in the Cup he has shown that he knows how to attack the opponent’s vulnerable areas and hurt them,” he adds.

Carlos Galván disagrees. “Ureña is above Sabagg. In the first three dates the system used by Compagnucci (4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3) did not favor him. In Colombia he played the way Fossati uses it now: with freedom ”. What stands out from the steering wheel? “He has a mid-distance shot, short and long pass.” complete.

Negro’s partner in “Pressure” agrees that the Uruguayan has been able to protect the Chilean by putting three central defenders behind him, which has allowed him to show his best version after appearing in the photo of the goals against in the first games . “Today is the thermometer of the U”.

The journalist Carolina Salvatore, from Gol Perú, also sees the Chilean as one step below Sabagg. “The performance (of the Colombian) raises the level of the league. He is a complete player, who scores exquisite goals, has mischief on and off the field, and has managed to win over the fans”. Before mentioning Ureña, he took out a cover: José López Pisano from Rosario, central midfielder for Atlético Grau de Piura. “Coming in or starting, he has shown that he is a different player, that he puts his mark, his spark,” he says.

Galván did the same and brought another name into the ring: Santiago García, the 34-year-old defender of intimates. And although the cream continues to flow through his veins, he is not afraid to say that the man from Rosario is above Riveros and Di Benedetto.

There are other names -not many- hidden due to the lack of reflectors, but Sabbag and Ureña are at the head of all. Who’s the best? Like their clubs in the tournament, nothing is defined yet.