Uruguay coach explains Pellistri call-up

Tuesday 31 May 2022 07:00

Uruguay coach Diego Alonso has outlined his trust in Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri after once again calling him up to represent the national team.

Pellistri, who turned 20 in December, spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Deportivo Alaves but has struggled for game-time recently, with the La Liga club being embroiled in a relegation battle.

The Basque club ultimately finished bottom of the Spanish top-flight, with Pellistri making 21 appearances.

Only five of those arrived after the turn of the year but Facundo has still enjoyed 2022 as he made his senior international bow in January, in a World Cup qualifier against Paraguay.

He also started in wins over Venezuela and Peru, as La Celeste recovered from an underwhelming start to easily book a place at the Qatar finals and Alonso believes the former Penarol player fits in well with his desired style of play.

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There are a lot of international fixtures scheduled over the next fortnight.

“I believe a lot in the characteristics of soccer players and I also believe a lot in my soccer players. I trust a lot in the Uruguayan footballer and in what he can do,” said Alonso.

“I thought that the characteristics that Pellistri has could help us a lot with the game that we want to implement. From there, I told him what I wanted from him, what I did value in him and then the one who gave the rest was him.

“He came here when he was 20 years old, he put on the starting shirt of the senior team and he played the way he played…

“That speaks much better about him than about me.”

Edinson Cavani, who will leave United this summer, has also been called up to the Uruguay squad for their upcoming trio of friendlies, which begins with a game against Mexico in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday.

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