peruvian-fans-clamor-for-the-return-of-ricardo-gareca-as-coach-of-the-soccer-teamPeruvian fans clamor for the return of Ricardo Gareca as coach of the soccer team
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By Humberto Viera

Nov 26, 2023, 18:42 PM EST

Argentine Ricardo Gareca was received with honors in Lima, Peru, after arriving at what will be the farewell match for Peruvian midfielder Carlos Lobatón.

Gareca arrived at the Alberto Gallardo stadium to lead the team of former Peruvian internationals who faced off against ‘Lobatón’s friends’, led by Peruvian coach Roberto Mosquera, in what was Lobatón’s farewell match.

In the midst of this context, dozens of fans celebrated Gareca’s return to Peru and called for him to return to the team that led to a Soccer World Cup after 36 years.

The fans demanded the return of Gareca to the Bicolor bench after a bad start in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, where they are last. “Teacher, come back,” many of the attendees asked.

Gareca declared to the Liga 1 channel that he was not going to talk about the Peruvian team and was only going to comment on his participation in the farewell of Lobatón, who was one of the players on the Peruvian team that he led since 2015.

The coach’s arrival in Lima occurs amid the emergence of numerous rumors that place Gareca as a solid candidate to replace the Peruvian Juan Reynoso in office.

Although the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) has not confirmed Reynoso’s greeting, the local press argues that only a final economic agreement remains to announce the strategist’s departure.

The climate around the Peruvian team remains tense due to the poor results in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, where it is last with two points after 6 rounds played.

Gareca became an idol after qualifying for the 2018 Russia World Cup, third place in the 2015 Copa América and runner-up in the 2019 Copa América.

The Peruvian National Team will play again on the FIFA date in March, in friendlies in the United States between June 20 and July 14. After the Copa América, Peru must host Colombia and visit Ecuador in September 2024, pending confirmation of the dates and times by Conmebol.

Keep reading:
–Copa América 2024 defined its pots for the draw on December 7 in Miami
–Ricardo Gareca returns to Peru to direct a special match amid rumors of his return to the national team
–Alianza Lima will not be able to play in its stadium for seven months for turning off the lights in the league final

By Scribe