The coach of the Peru national team, Mano Menezes, praised the quality of the Senegal football team this Monday, just under two weeks before the friendly match between the two sides. Appointed to lead the Bicolor at the end of January, the Brazilian coach sees this match as a crucial step in rebuilding his team.
Born Luiz Antonio Venker Menezes, the 63-year-old is back in charge of a national team fourteen years after leaving the Brazil national team in 2012. Hailing from Passo do Sobrado, he has been tasked with reviving the Peruvian squad and preparing them for upcoming challenges, aiming to qualify the Bicolor for the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Before this role, Mano Menezes had a long career coaching clubs. He led prestigious teams in Brazil like Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Fluminense FC, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, Sport Club Internacional, and Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras. Abroad, he also coached Al-Nassr FC in Saudi Arabia and Shandong Luneng Taishan FC in China.
The challenge ahead in Peru is huge, as the team failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the FIFA World Cup 2026. However, the Brazilian coach will have time to build his project. Before the next official competitions, he will start with a series of friendlies, including a clash against Senegal on March 28, followed by a match against the Honduras national team on March 31.
For these two encounters, Mano Menezes revealed a list of 25 players this Monday, mixing young talents and experienced veterans. Among them are goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, midfielder Yoshimar Yotún, and winger André Carrillo.
In a press conference, the Peruvian coach did not hide his respect for the Senegalese team. “Senegal is an excellent team,” he said, comparing the Lions to Honduras. According to him, the two opponents are not currently at the same level.
“Senegal is the reigning African champion and a team of very high quality. They recently faced Brazil twice, winning 4-2 and losing 2-0. They are a physically powerful team. So I expect a very tough test for us,” Mano Menezes explained.
For the Brazilian coach, this match will mainly serve as a benchmark to assess the current level of his players. “It will be an excellent opportunity to measure where our best elements stand and the level we need to reach. For our players, facing a team of this caliber is extremely important to understand the demands of the very highest level,” he concluded.
