MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hero’ Pereiro – Young Uruguayan player a fans favourite at PSV Eindhoven.

Pereiro said: ‘PSV is a great team to play for and the fans treat me well

21 year old Uruguayan Gaston Pereiro is now, and will remain, a ‘hero’ to the many thousands of fans of the famous Dutch football club PSV Eindhoven. Almost one year ago he scored twice against the clubs most feared and detested rivals Ajax of Amsterdam and so wrote his name into the clubs history books.

 As it transpired his 75th minute winner played a crucial role in ensuring that the Eredivisie title stayed in Eindhoven as those 3 points proved to be the difference between the teams at the end of the season.

Pereiro, who signed for the Dutch champions in July 2015 from Nacional of Montevideo, still has 4 years of his 5 years contract to fulfill and he is more than happy with his progress and playing opportunities and life in the Netherlands in general.

He said: ‘PSV is a great team to play for and the fans treat me well. Of course the 2 goals against Ajax has helped but I want to play regularly and reward the fans by scoring consistently if I can’.

Pereiro still has not mastered the difficult Dutch language so it is fortunate that PSV has 3 other Spanish speaking players in their squad, namely the Mexican Internationals Hector Moreno and Andres Guardado and the Colombian Santiago Arias.

‘We sit and eat together at PSV and discuss our training methods, team tactics and our hopes and concerns but we do not live together’ said Pereiro.

Currently his young Uruguayan girl-friend is visiting the Netherlands and she speaks English. ‘She is here until October and can assist me when we go out for a meal together or if I need to buy clothes as almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks good English’, said a relieved Gaston Pereiro.

He played for the Uruguayan U20 team at an International level, but has yet to receive a call-up for the Nacional Selection but he is hoping that a consistent run in the PSV team might catch of eye of the ’La Celeste’ (The Sky Blue One) coach Oscar Tabarez.
‘If selected I would be proud to play for my Country and of course go to Russia for the World Cup in 2018 if we qualify’, said Pereiro.

PSV have been drawn in the so-called ‘group of death’ in this seasons Champions League and Gaston Pereiro is under no illusions as to the difficult task that lies ahead.
‘We can expect Bayern Munich to win the group so we know that our 2 games against Athletico Madrid (coached by Argentine Diego Simeone) will be vital. We play the 1st leg in Eindhoven on 13th September and the stadium is sure to be packed to capacity ‘.

Last season PSV surprisingly eliminated Manchester United in the group stages before unluckily losing a penalty shoot-out to Athletico in Madrid in the knock-out round after two 0-0 games, so there is a feeling of revenge in the air.
The Russian side Rostov who coincidentally knocked out Ajax in qualifying is the 4th team in the group.

Last Sunday Gaston Pereiro experienced the utter frustration that all his fellow team members and the 40,000 fans in the Philips Stadium had to endure.

PSV were hot favourites to take all 3 points against winless and pointless FC Groningen from the north of the Netherlands, and when the division’s bottom team had a man sent-off in the 28th minute this seemed a total probability. But try as they might they could not break down the stubborn and determined 9-man defense of their opponents and the game ended goal-less.

Pereiro came on as an early substitute and saw one effort fly just over the bar while another attempt saw the ball nick the outside of the post and go wide.

‘I was desperate to score but like all of our strikers we had no luck and the Groningen goal-keeper Sergio Padt (who saved a penalty from Luuk de Jong) had the game of his life and we could not get the
break through that we needed. It happens sometimes in football’, said Pereiro.

Going into the International break, Rotterdam rivals Feyenoord are the only team with maximum points after 4 games and top the table with 12 points. PSV are second with 10.

PSV play Feyenoord on the 18th September in Eindhoven and Uruguayan Gaston Pereiro is hoping that he can repeat his goal-scoring performance which he displayed against Ajax last October, and in doing so will further endorse his reputation with the loyal PSV fans.

Patrick Watts.
Eindhoven.