Carlos Zambrano questions Christian Cueva's physical condition
Carlos Zambrano, one of the most experienced players in Alianza Lima's squad, spoke to Fútbol en América about Salomón Lerner's statements. Lerner, a member of the Fondo Blanquiazul, questioned Christian Cueva's level of performance.
"We are teammates, we will protect ourselves. Whatever happens, good or bad, should be resolved internally, not discussed with the press. We need to communicate among ourselves... We stand with Cueva," said the center-back.
"The executive, with all due respect, could come to us and talk, I think we would understand," added Zambrano in an interview with Jampool Cuadros, a reporter from Fútbol en América, after Alianza Lima's victory over Alianza Atlético in Sullana.
Finally, the experienced defender pointed out that Salomón Lerner "needs to watch his words."
"What did Salomón Lerner say?"
In an interview with El Comercio, Salomón Lerner, one of the members of the Fondo Blanquiazul, commented on Christian Cueva's performance since his return to Alianza Lima.
"The person we had high hopes for to perform better is Christian Cueva. Unfortunately, he is not in good physical condition and has not delivered the performance we expected in the Copa Libertadores," he said.
"He has not performed. Maybe he needs more training, more physical preparation, more harmony with his new teammates, but what he did was not what we expected. That's why the coach decided to take him off the field and replace him," Lerner added.
Finally, he ruled out seeking a conversation with Christian Cueva. He stated that matters related to the sports aspect are managed by the respective direction of the club, and the members of the Fondo Blanquiazul only give their opinions.
"We should not intervene in those conversations. The coach, his coaching staff, and the sports director are in charge. We are like any other fan who goes to the stands to watch the game and can give our point of view, but that doesn't mean the coach or sports director have to agree with us. They know the objectives with Cueva and will try to correct what he couldn't do with Paranaense and give him more opportunities in other matches to play with his teammates or improve his physical condition," he expressed.