Perrone: the ghost of the South American who isn’t scary and why “this team will always play better”

For Massimo Perrone the victory of the Under 20 national team on their debut in the World Cup against Uzbekistan meant a great relief. Is that he was one of those who also joined the South American in Colombia, where things did not go well for Javier Mascherano’s team. That page ended on Saturday night in Santiago del Estero with a 2-1 victory against the Asian champion.

The midfielder who left Vélez also had a double celebration as a couple of hours before taking the field as a starter at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades he discovered that he achieved the first professional title of his career with the consecration of Manchester City Pep Guardiola in the Premier League.

“I watched the match that gave us the title a little and I sent messages in the group to congratulate the boys. It’s a great joy. I saw it and I congratulated them, but the truth is that my head is here in the World Cupsaid the midfielder who, beyond his joy, doesn’t want to distract attention from what he’s experiencing with Argentina.

The reality is that so far he hasn’t had to play much in the England squad since joining earlier this year. He has added 18 minutes in the Premier League (he came on for Haaland against Bournemouth and was on the bench five times), 2 minutes in the FA Cup (he entered the final against Bristol City) and has yet to make his Champions League debut (he was a substitute four times).

This is why Perrone takes advantage of these days dressed in blue and white to recover shooting and football and to push the national team from the central group to the start of this Under 20 World Cup”.I haven’t played in a long time and it’s hard to get back into rhythm. You can train hard but it’s not the same thing as playing. Because it was my first game in a long time, it felt good,” she said clarion in the middle of the mixed zone and with the pulse already more normalized after the first one with a smile.

-Should the debut take place like this, putting oneself on, working the game, suffering?

-And the truth that yes. We had to go from less to more to gain trust. Victory works. I think we prevailed. In the face of adversity, such as the pitch, the quick goal they scored against us, coming from the South American team that didn’t go well for us… Getting up like this is really nice. It was very nice what this group did. We are used to facing adversity and we managed to get back up. We started the World Cup in the best way.

-When Uzbekistan scored the goal, did the ghosts of the South American come to your mind?

-Ninth. This group is stationary and will face and rise from any hit. We have already proved it now and we have to continue to prove it in every game.

-As the minutes went by the team established itself and those above replied, is it important for the match to appear quickly?

-The reality is that we don’t have many minutes to play together. It’s true and it is. We must not forget that our last memory as a team was not a good one. We need the minutes to improve and assemble. However, I have no doubts that as the minutes go by, this team will play better and better and we will do good things.

-The most important job you have to do today is get to know each other as a team?

-And yes, because not being used to playing with each other is difficult because football, in the end, is a club. To get to know each other you have to play and winning helps us build trust.

-When Argentina didn’t have the ball, you could be seen talking and giving orders in the center, Mascherano asks you for that role?

– It comes naturally to me. Javier asks me to tidy up. It’s normal. The team is doing well and slowly we are understanding each other.

-Did you see anything from the match between Guatemala and New Zealand?

-Some guys were watching it before leaving the hotel, but I couldn’t see anything. Our goal was this match and now comes the next one. Then we will only think about Friday. This is game for game.

-Did they get rid of the toughest rival?

-In a World Cup all matches are difficult.

-How does it feel to play to a full stadium and for people who end up singing “Vamos los pibes”?

It is something huge, very beautiful. I repeat, we don’t come from something good because of the South American and that people like this and everything continue to be enthusiastic about us is very nice.

– Do you think about the biggest dream?

-Well… Personally, before I had this goal, which was to win the debut and now it’s to win the next one. It is clear that the dream would be to finish this World Cup as we all want.

-Mascherano asked them to have fun, is it possible?

-I’m having fun because a World Cup isn’t played every day. But now that we’re here we’re already focused because we have goals. We have already completed the first one and are now going for the next one. We have to keep calm to step into the group and make sure that everything that comes after comes after.

Perrone’s message to Manrique’s family

Máximo Perrone has been trained in Vélez since childhood. He has known every member of the Liniers club since he was very young and he heard closely the death of Hernán Manrique, the coach of Reserva del Fortín together with Marcelo Bravo.

“I want to send a lot of strength to the family of Palito, who passed away yesterday (Friday), and to all of Vélez, who is really shocked by what happened. Also to the boys of the Reserve. A big hug and a lot of strength for the family”, expressed Perrone in mixed area after the triumph of the Sub 20 in the world premiere.

Manrique, 49, collapsed during the technical interview before his team’s match against Racing, he was taken to hospital but they were unable to revive him.

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