Paraguay appoints Barros Schelotto as new coach

The Argentine coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto has been appointed this Wednesday as soccer coach of Paraguay replacing his compatriot Eduardo Berizzo, who was dismissed the previous Thursday due to disappointing results in the South American qualifiers for the World Cup in Qatar.

The Paraguayan Soccer Association (APF) announced in a statement the hiring of Guillermo Barros Schelotto and his brother Gustavo in the role of assistant. The Barros Schelotto have as an immediate challenge to straighten the course of Albirroja in the six days remaining to the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Berizzo left the Paraguayan bench hours after the defeat suffered on October 14 by 4-0 in La Paz against Bolivia. With this result, the Albirroja fell to eighth place in the South American qualifiers with 12 points out of 36 possible, far from the four places that give direct places to Qatar, and fifth, currently occupied by Uruguay and which grants the right to play a game. repechage.

The hiring of Guillermo Barros Schelotto was announced tonight by Robert Harrison, president of the APF, who has yet to set the date to present the new technical commission.

The agreement with the APF indicates that the new coach, who has not coached since October 2020 when he left the Los Angeles Galaxy leadership, signed a contract that links them in principle until the Copa América in 2024.

The first official match for the new Albirroja driver will be on November 11 against the Chilean team at the Asuncion Defensores del Chaco stadium in fulfillment of the thirteenth date of the qualifying rounds. Subsequently, the Paraguayan team must visit the Colombian team in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla.

Chilavert criticizes the arrival of the Argentine

The hiring of the Barros Schelotto brothers has divided opinions, at least among local soccer figures. Former goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert assured in an interview that the former footballers “do not have the curriculum or the ability to be in charge of Paraguay’s selection.” He added that “it seems that being a Paraguayan coach is an absolute must.”

Midfielder Víctor Ayala approved negotiations with Guillermo Barros Schelotto on Tuesday, who led him when they met in Lanús. Ayala, player and captain of Sol de América, praised the work and style of play that the former Boca Juniors player impresses on his teams.

“The characteristic is the game. A winning guy, he knows what he wants them to play, he has a great physical trainer and he likes Paraguayans,” he said. Ayala also referred to the 2013 Copa Sudamericana title won by Garnet under the tutelage of the Barros Schelotto brothers. “That Lanús played very well,” he recalled.

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