Fossati and Guerrero: what is the coach’s relationship with the ‘9’ and why he will take him to the Copa América despite his three goals and nine games in six months

Fossati and Paolo spoke via WhatsApp up to three times before meeting each other. They talked about the national team, the dressing room of a World Cup team and what the Peruvian soccer player is like. For the Uruguayan, the opinion of the most important national player of the last 30 years was always very important. He already knew something after his successful time at Universitario in 2023, but he needed to learn more and Paolo, a leader by nature, served that objective.

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Praise came from both sides and in a public way. Neither hid their admiration for the other. The coach was even very concerned when the forward still did not resolve his arrival at César Vallejo due to the innumerable obstacles that he encountered prior to signing him. “Looking at it as a national team coach, not having a team, already training with a squad and playing quickly, that was for me what made me most happy, that a player of his importance was active.”

From Videna they always told us something: the contact between the two is frequent and very good. Which means something: for Jorge Fossati, Paolo is very important for what is to come. He is aware of his age – 40 years weighs on the national team level – but also of his hierarchy, leadership and weight in a locker room that in these first months, with two friendlies in between, has shown itself to be totally receptive and hungry for change. the serious situation of the Bicolor in the Qualifiers: last with two points in six dates.

Paolo Guerrero’s last goal with the Peruvian team:

A new Copa América for Guerrero

Paolo Guerrero’s first training session in the Fossati era was almost like a family day. The coach waited for Paolo at Videna and the first thing he did was hug him. The good atmosphere that is still experienced in the team started from both of them, from the affinity they have as leaders of a locker room – as they tell us – permeable to good customs.

In fact, Fossati’s consideration of Guerrero even prevails over the philosophy of a coach who in the Bicolor has learned to be more flexible than he has been throughout his more than 40-year career.

the coach had stated in February. Today, Guerrero has been without minutes since the beginning of May, when he suffered a muscle tear, according to César Vallejo’s medical report. “commented the forward a few days ago.

Despite almost no continuity this year – he has played nine of 21 games with Vallejo and scored just three goals – Fossati will take him to the Copa América. “I think he arrives without problems, at least, with the minutes on his team that we would like, I think that for the matches prior to the Cup, I think he arrives,” said the coach.

Why do you wear it? Simple: his leadership. There are no more secrets. The coach knows the importance of coexistence in the Copa América to strengthen the locker room and, in that aspect, the presence of the captain is important. Afterwards, whether or not he starts ahead of Lapadula will be decided in training.