For the 2019 season, Alianza Lima 'broke the piggy bank' and decided to assemble a highly competitive team, so names like Pedro Gallese, Wilder Cartagena, and José Manzaneda (all members of Ricardo Gareca's Peruvian National Team during those years) were some of the brilliant signings made by the blanquiazul institution.
But besides footballers, the Alianza board also decided and managed to bring an experienced Argentine coach with a rarely seen curriculum in the local championship to Peruvian football.
That's how Miguel Ángel Russo, a champion with Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores at some point, was announced in January 2019 as the new coach of Alianza Lima. "I'm happy to arrive at a big club. With Alianza, it's never a step back; I never take steps back in my life, and I'm happy to come here," were the first words of the strategist upon his arrival at Matute.
Russo's arrival at La Victoria sparked great excitement among the fans. His experience in Argentine and Colombian football also supported it, as he had won titles with important teams such as Boca Juniors, Vélez Sarsfield, Millonarios, and Rosario Central.
However, he never managed to connect with the blanquiazul squad, and his numbers were forgettable: 15 matches, 8 defeats, 4 draws, and only 3 victories. These records led to his resignation in April of the same year he arrived.
Although it is worth noting that there is shared responsibility, as the Argentine coach requested the incorporation of certain players upon his arrival, none of whom Alianza could sign. So Russo had to work with a squad he had not planned.
To this date, the experienced strategist is currently without a team after finishing his spell at Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia in June. He coached the Arabian club between December 2021 and June 2022, accumulating a total of 20 matches, 15 victories, 2 draws, and 3 defeats during his time in the Saudi Professional League.
More information at Libero.pe