SoccerOops. Follow us on Twitter @futbolportaluy
“It was very difficult, as we imagined. I am very happy to have won. In this type of match it is sometimes difficult to find the best game, but there is a great merit to the opponent, who plays very well and was in the definition for a reason,” said Diego Aguirre, coach of Peñarol, after the 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the semifinal of the Uruguayan Championship.
“We must give value to the victory because Liverpool is a team that in recent years has always been defining. It was a key match and I rescue the result. The priority of the finals is to win them and today we were able to win,” added the Aurinegro technical director, who did not want to say what he said to his team at halftime of the extra time of “a very difficult match.”
“Let Leo kick him”
“We made the five changes looking to win. When we received the goal, it was hard because the pressure was coming on us and Liverpool defended well. Luckily we found the goals,” he expressed, and when asked about what he said to Stiven Muhlethaler before Leonardo Fernández repeated the penalty for the second goal, it was clear: “Let Leo kick it.”
Regarding Muhlethaler, he assessed that “he came in very well” as did Diego García, whom he praised. “The goal is the most important thing and he scored a great goal in a very difficult moment. I am very happy for him and for us. I tried to give him more play on the wings and both he and Stiven did a good job,” he noted.
“The year was going away and in that desperation that comes from losing, we proposed with more men in attack and we also had the advantage of the extra man, which gave us more control,” he indicated.
The classic finals, Silvera’s position and the level of Abel Hernández
Regarding the classic finals, which “are going to have the same level of difficulty” as the match with Liverpool, he does not believe that the recent favorable history will have an influence. “Each game has its moment and its characteristic. What happened, has already happened, and it is of little use. We always have to consider all the scenarios to play these two classics. We must trust in ourselves and enjoy that we are where we wanted to be; defining in the finals,” he said.
In reference to Maximiliano Silvera’s position, a few meters away from the area and on a point, he assessed that “he has a total commitment to the team and is ready to add from wherever he can.” “He has been like that in these two years and he has the physical capacity to do it. He responded by playing and working more than usual,” he explained.
Asked by Abel Hernández, who scored five goals against Peñarol in five matches in 2025, he said that “he is flying.” “He has an excellent level and I don’t discover anything by saying that he is a decisive player,” he added, and when the same journalist asked him if he would like to add him for next season, he responded with a laugh: “a question.”
SoccerOops. Follow us on Twitter @futbolportaluy
