"We have 180 minutes to achieve the objective": Hernán Barcos ahead of the final against 'U'.

Last Sunday, Alianza Lima defeated Deportivo Garcilaso 1-0 and regained oxygen to arrive fully prepared for the final of Liga 1 Betsson against Universitario de Deportes, which will start on Saturday, November 4th at the Monumental Stadium. Undoubtedly, a crucial match for Alianza Lima, who will give their all to achieve the three-peat (the second leg will be on Wednesday, November 8th in La Victoria). In the midst of this context, Hernán Barcos - the team's top scorer under Mauricio Larriera (with 17 goals) - spoke about the current situation of the blanquiazules.

"The goal is to have a team. The group is united, we are doing well, although there's room for improvement in terms of our football. But we are working hard and hoping to arrive well for the final," said the 'Pirata' in a press conference upon his arrival in Lima, after the last match in Cusco.

"We have two important finals and we have to treat them as such and do our part," he also stated. Along those lines, he argued, "These are two finals against a direct rival, so we have 180 minutes to achieve our objective. We are direct rivals, so we can expect a great spectacle."

Hernán Barcos has been a key player throughout the season for Alianza Lima, playing a total of 37 matches this year (five in the Copa Libertadores and 32 in the Liga 1 Betsson), scoring 17 goals, providing six assists, and playing for 2,318 minutes. However, if we consider his time with Alianza Lima, it's worth noting that he has scored 46 goals since 2021, becoming the club's top foreign scorer.

Regarding his condition for the match against Universitario de Deportes, the Argentine forward assured that "you work to always be available to the coach and for him to choose the best players." Undoubtedly, it is known that his name will be on Mauricio Larriera's starting lineup.

It's worth mentioning that Alianza Lima did the same in the Apertura Tournament 2023, where they proved to be a true powerhouse. They achieved 14 victories and four defeats in 18 matches played. In this way, they obtained 42 points and had a seven-point advantage over Sporting Cristal, who finished second. Alianza Lima came close to being three-time champions (almost won the Clausura), but now they have the opportunity to achieve it against their arch-rival.

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