Ten millionaire tailings for the same result: the UnoxUno of a new failure of Alianza Lima in the Libertadores

Objective achieved thinking of the near future or resounding failure? The question rounds in the head of the alliancist fan. The 2023 campaign ended the streak of 30 games without winning in the Cup, achieving a resounding victory in Paraguay against Libertad and in a group in which fate planted two Brazilian teams (Paranaense, the last finalist; and Atlético Mineiro). But once again: they have been eliminated.

Compete. That has been the word most used by the alliance in the last six months. And that was sought internationally by hiring renowned players like Carlos Zambrano, Christian Cueva, Gabriel Costa, Andrés Andrade and Pablo Sabbag. Although not all of them made the grade. The local level, of course, the two-time champion is on his way to his three-time championship after winning the Apertura Tournament fairly and easily.

One more year out of any continental contest, Lima Alliance You will have to draw your conclusions if the Libertadores 2023 was one more step in search of that “competitiveness” or a failure after having achieved four points in the first two games and then not having been able to obtain one plus the remaining four.

What happened so that those led by Guillermo Salas Have they gone from leading their group to being left out even of the South American? Below we analyze the intimate campaign in this UnoxUno.

Christian Cueva and Gabriel Costa, the disappointments

He had not played for a few months and ended up joining almost at the end of the transfer window. But christian cave it awoke the illusion of the fan who saw how the club put together a highly competitive squad. However, the midfielder, who came on loan for six months – and would have everything ready to renew until the end of the year – never found the best performance from him.

His presence on the field did not justify Guillermo Salas’s decision to put him on either. He did not score or assist. Away from the area, without creating chances for goals, with just a few passes to the sides or behind, Christian has been the great disappointment of the tournament for Alianza Lima.

In case of Gabriel Costa it is also worrisome. The midfielder came to Matute from Colo Colo and instead of giving more hierarchy to the intimate attack, he was practically absent in the Libertadores: two games, one as a starter. Zero goals, zero assists… almost no influence on the game. Injuries have played a trick on him in this first half of the year.

Andrade, Peruzzi and Sabbag, injuries that kill

A large squad that is enough and plenty for the local tournament. However, internationally, Alianza cannot give anything away. And the injuries made the intimates face difficult matches without headlines that gave the team a hierarchy with their presence on the field and their performance: Gino Peruzzi, Andrés Andrade and Pablo Sabbag.

peruzzi He has barely played two games of the six that the Victorian team played. He missed the debut against Atlético Paranaense in Matute in which sabbag He started showing good play and andrade He entered in the second half to change the face of the team and earn a place in the starting eleven.

In the victory against Libertad in Paraguay, all three played. AND alliance he returned with three gold points. They also started in the loss against Atlético Mineiro. However, in the last three games, only Sabbag started against Libertad in Lima.

The last two clashes, Alianza had to turn to their substitutes in search of new alternatives that clearly did not work. In fact, Andrade’s outlook is terrifying. The Colombian would have suffered a resurgence of the knee injury, so it is not known when he will return to the playing fields.

When they were in the field, andrade gave an assist and sabbag scored a goal. When they weren’t there, replacements couldn’t fill the void they left and the team’s performance dropped noticeably.

Injuries and poor performance made the Victorian team visit Brazil in search of the feat with only three of the eight weight reinforcements they hired to face the contest: Santiago Garcia, Jesus Castillo and Bryan Reyna.

Balloon and Lagos, without replacement

Lima Alliance He populated the midfield with so many players that he did not even have a problem letting Pablo Lavandeira out, a versatile midfielder who was a figure of the team in the 2022 national title. In the core, the intimates have plenty of names. However, almost all are attack.

And there is a problem there. Josepmir Ballon He has no replacement in the team. The substitute on the left side is the youthful Amasifuén.

Not having a natural replacement for the starters affects the team’s performance. And it was reflected after the injury to Gino Peruzzi. The right-back position was filled by Yordi Vilcheza central, and by edinson chavezwho has not shown a level to play in Alianza Lima.

Zambrano, a lonely lion

It was not in the plans for him to return to Peruvian soccer at the age of 33 and a fully demonstrated hierarchy. In fact, he himself said that he was close to continuing to play for Boca Juniors, the Argentine giant. And his presence in the Alliance rear ordered everything. Carlos Zambrano He was the best on the team when he was there, even with mistakes.

The ‘Kaiser’ played five of the six games. He was not present in the defeat against Paranaense due to pain in his knee. However, when he was around, he was a bulwark. In the fan’s memory is still the great game that was played in Paraguay for the victory against Libertad, leaving everything on the field of play.

santiago garcia He is the other reinforcement and his teammate behind. With the advance as a great virtue, the Argentine was often exposed to the speed and intensity of the attackers in a tournament that shows you just that. But beyond that, he always showed sobriety.

Pablo Miguez it was the fireman He replaced Zambrano or García when they were not there. With the limitations he has, the Uruguayan always sweated to the last drop of sweat, although, of course, that doesn’t make a difference in the Cup.

Boats, always crack. And the surprises: Reyna and Castillo

For an age issue -he is 39 years old- it was logical that Lima Alliance will search in Pablo Sabbag a ‘9′ to compete internationally instead of Hernan Boats. The 25-year-old Colombian is more mobile, can fight better and make diagonals, but the experience and hierarchy of the Pirate is not bought in any corner.

Boats He started the tournament as a substitute, but in the last games, due to the obligation of results or injury to Sabbag, he started. And within eleven he was one of the best. His ability to resolve complicated situations has no expiration date, much less limits. But, of course, leaving the area to associate and help the team makes it impossible for him to get close to the goal: he couldn’t score.

The reinforcements that did surrender and surprised are the two that came from Cantolao: Bryan Reyna and Jesus Castillo. Both in their first Libertadores. The winger established himself as a starter from the first game, being the most unbalancing man in the team on the left wing, although with a great lack of resolution in the final meters.

The midfielder, for his part, entered to give Ballón a hand in midfield, being praised for his intense play and the mark he printed on the blue and white midfielder. The counterpart is that his entry took Alianza’s game away.

—