Universitario de Lima is currently facing a challenging period. The three-time Peruvian football champion had a difficult start to the Liga 1 season, where they are currently in fourth place, nine points behind the league leader and arch-rival, Alianza Lima. In the Copa Libertadores, they are outside of the qualification spots for the round of 16, which led to the dismissal of their head coach, Javier Ravanal, a few weeks ago.
The Spanish coach had previously had a successful spell with Independiente del Valle, but he was unable to secure a permanent position with Universitario and left the club prematurely. After several weeks under the interim management of Jorge Araujo, the club finally found a replacement.
That replacement is none other than the 70-year-old Argentine, Héctor Cúper, who has a long and distinguished career in Europe. The experienced coach boasts two consecutive Champions League finals with Valencia (1999-2000 and 2000-2001) and a runner-up finish in the African Cup of Nations with Egypt in 2017, a team he also coached at the World Cup in Russia the following year. He also has experience with Inter Milan and four other national teams.
His most recent role was as the head coach of the Syrian national team, a position he left in 2024. Now, he will face his first challenge in Peruvian football, arriving in the country this Tuesday.
His First Words
The Argentine coach sent a message to the fans of Universitario. "I am very happy to be joining the best team in Peru. I assure you that we will give our all, with heart, to make things work..."
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Deportivo: The "crema" team has signed the renowned coach Héctor Cúper to try to improve their performance both domestically and internationally. This will be Héctor Cúper's first time coaching in Peruvian football. pc Comments: Universitario de Lima is going through a difficult time. The three-time champion of Peruvian football had a poor start in the Liga 1, where they are currently in fourth place, nine points behind the leader and arch-rival Alianza Lima. In the Copa Libertadores, they are outside the qualification places for the round of 16, which is why they dismissed their coach, Javier Ravanal, a few weeks ago. The Spaniard had a good campaign with Independiente del Valle, but the "crema" team could not confirm him, and he left prematurely. After several weeks under the interim management of Jorge Araujo, the club finally found a replacement. It is none other than the Argentine Héctor Cúper, 70 years old, with a long career in Europe. The experienced coach has two consecutive Champions League finals with Valencia (1999-2000 and 2000-2001) and a runner-up in the African Cup of Nations with Egypt in 2017, a team he coached in the World Cup in Russia the following year. He also had a stint with Inter Milan and four other national teams. His last job was as coach of the Syrian national team, a position he left in 2024. Now he will have his first challenge in Peruvian football, a country he will arrive in this Tuesday. His first words: The Argentine coach sent a message to the fans of Universitario. "I am very happy to be joining the best team in Peru. I assure you that we will give our all, with heart, to make things go well," he said. "The goal is for all the "crema" fans to feel satisfied, because they deserve it," added the strategist, who concluded his message by sending a warm greeting to the entire Universitario community. One of Cúper's main challenges will be to secure qualification for the round of 16 in the Copa Libertadores, where the team lost 2-1 to Coquimbo Unido in the Fourth Region. They are in third place, with four points, three behind Tolima and the "piratas," who are the two teams they would need to surpass to qualify for the next round of the competition. More about: Football, Universitario, Copa Libertadores, Coquimbo Unido, Héctor Cúper. NEWSLETTER: El Deportivo, Monday, 8:45 AM. A special selection with coverage and analysis of the most important sporting events of the weekend, by the sports team of La Tercera. By subscribing, you accept the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policies of La Tercera.