Mexico

Mexicans Abroad: Nery’s First Ninety

Nery Castillo scored his first goal in his first full match of the season. Also, Rodrigo Prieto dreams of El Tri and Hugo's transfer requests denied.

May 25, 2009 2:36:40 AM

More On : Mexico, Hugo Sánchez, N. Castillo, Rodrigo Prieto, Eduardo Fabián Lillingston

By César García

After having guaranteed permanence for modest club Almería, manager Hugo Sánchez expressed his desire to recruit Guillermo Ochoa and Gerardo Torrado to help him fulfill his ambitious objectives for next season.

However, his transfer petitions where quickly dismissed by club officials, who declared that due to club policy and few economic resources Almería never sign big name players and their focus is to build a competitive squad with the primary objective of preserving the category. So it is unlikely that Torrado, Ochoa, or Bojan Krkic will join the Andulusian side next season.

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After having declared days back that his future with Almería depended on the players that will arrive. The question now is: How will Hugo respond?

Nery Castillo played his first full 90 minutes of the 2008-2009 season and made his presence felt by contributing with Shakhtar’s second goal in the penultimate league match of the Ukrainian Premier League. During the week, Castillo became only the second Mexican to win the UEFA cup when Shakhtar defeated Werder Bremen, albeit without even considered for the match. However, Nery was present in the on-field celebrations for the Miners’ first European crown. The first Mexican to win the crown was Hugo Sánchez with Real Madrid in 1986.

In the Americas, Rodrigo Prieto’s career is in ascension.

The Caracas FC striker has received news of possible interest from Europe after another successful season in Venezuela’s top-flight and impressive performances in the Copa Santander Libertadores. The 26-year-old Guadalajara native hopes to use South America’s premier club competition as a showcase to attract the interest of México national team coach Javier Aguirre and earn his first call-up to El Tri. Prieto and Caracas FC will face Brazilian side Gremio in the quarterfinal round of the Libertadores.

Also, Eduardo Lillingston scored his fourth goal of the season in only his ninth match with Chivas USA of the MLS.

EUROPE

SPAIN
LIGA BBVA — Week 37

Coach Hugo Sánchez, UD Almería
5/23: UD Almería 0-3 Espanyol

Rafael Márquez, Barcelona
5/23: Barcelona 0-1 Osasuna (No Activity - Injured)

Andrés Guardado, Deportivo La Coruña
5/23: Deportivo 0-1 Sevilla (90 minutes)
After two winless weeks, Depor have compromised their table position to earn a spot in Europe next season. Their qualification chances not only depend on how they fare against champion Barcelona in the last match of the season, but on the Valencia result as well.

Guillermo Franco, Villareal
5/23: Villareal 3-1 Valencia (18 minutes, 1 yellow card)
Even if Guille's continuity with the "yellow submarine" is unlikely, Villareal consolidated themselves in the fifth spot of La Liga and are guaranteed participation in the Europa League next season with a slim shot at a Champions League spot.

SEGUNDA DIVISIÓN “B” — Promotion to Segunda División - Second Leg

Juan Seguro, Real Unión Club de Irún
5/24: Real Unión 0-0 Cádiz CF (Agg 0-1)
Real Unión failed to earn direct qualification to Spain’s second division. They will now play the second round of the play-off phase to continue having any aspirations of promotion to the Liga Adelante.

ENGLAND
PREMIER LEAGUE — Week 38

Carlos Vela, Arsenal
5/24: Arsenal 4-1 Stoke City (19 minutes)
The Gunners ended in the fourth spot of the English Premier League. Expect many rumors in the coming weeks regarding a possible transfer move and the future of Carlos Vela with Arsenal.

GERMANY
BUNDESLIGA — Week 34

Ricardo Osorio, VfB Stuttgart
5/23: Stuttgart 1-2 Bayern Munich (No Activity - Injured)
Stuttgart finished third in the Bundesliga and earned a spot in the next edition of the Champions League. Osorio has not fully recovered from his surgery and missed the last nine matches of the season.

TURKEY
Süper Lig — Week 33

Antonio De Nigris, Ankaragucu
5/24: Ankaragucu 3-0 Denizlispor (Less than a minute)

UKRAINE
PREMIER LEAGUE — Week 29

Nery Castillo, Shakhtar Donetsk
5/20: UEFA — Shakhtar 2-1 Werder Bremen (Not Considered)
5/23: Shakhtar 2-0 Tavriya (90 minutes, 1 goal)

HUNGARY
NB II (Nemzeti Bajnokság II) — Week 27
Juan “Kichi” Pérez, FC Tatabánya
5/24: FC Tatabánya 3-3 ZTE FC II. (90 minutes, 1 goal)

AMERICAS

MLS — Week 11

Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Chicago Fire
5/24: Chicago Fire 1-0 New York Red Bulls (90 minutes, 1 assist)

Eduardo Lillingston, Chivas USA
5/23: Chivas USA 1-1 Kansas City Wizards (32 minutes, 1 goal)

Claudio Suárez, Chivas USA
5/23: Chivas USA 1-1 Kansas City Wizards (Not Considered)

Mariano Trujillo, Chivas USA
5/23: Chivas USA 1-1 Kansas City Wizards (90 minutes)

COLOMBIA
COPA MUSTANG 1

Mario García, Boyacá Chicó FC
5/24: Chicó 1-2 Once Caldas (90 minutes, 1 yellow card)

ECUADOR
Primera A de Ecuador

Carlos Morán, Club Deportivo Cuenca
5/20: CD Cuenca 0-2 Deportivo Quito (Not Considered)
5/23: CD Cuenca 2-1 Tec. Universitario (Not Considered)

PERU
Primera Profesional de Perú — Week 14

Rodolfo Espinoza, Universitario de Deportes
5/24: Universitario 1-1 José Gálvez (No Activity - Suspended)

Nathaniel Revetria, Sport Ancash (on loan from River Plate Uruguay)
5/23: Sport Ancash 0-2 Alianza Atlético (Not Considered)

VENEZUELA
Primera División — Championship - First Leg

Rodrigo Prieto, Caracas FC
5/23: Caracas 1-1 Deportivo Italia (18 minutes)

Gerardo Torres, Caracas FC
5/23: Caracas 1-1 Deportivo Italia (Not Considered)

--César García's "Mexicans Abroad" report appears every Monday on Goal.com. Contact him with any questions or comments at: cesar.garcia@goal.com.

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