Long-time Guadalajara Chivas skipper Jair Pereira has found a new team for the Apertura 2019.
The Jair Pereira era in Guadalajara has came to an end after a mostly successful 5-year relationship. The rugged central defender will now be holding down the fort for the Gallos Blancos of Querétaro during the Apertura 2019. Queretaro had shown considerable interest in bringing in a high-caliber player like “El Comandante” to bolster its defense and turn around its sagging fortunes.
The Gallos Blancos finished the Clausura 2019 second-to-last, only above Veracruz. Queretaro had only 11 points from 3 wins and 2 draws, while suffering 12 losses and going forward they’ll have relegation worries. To address these concerns, the Gallos Blanco have brought in several new faces, including goalkeeper Gerardo Ruiz, winger Alonso Escoboza and winger Fabian Castillo to reinforce the roster.
Pereira had expressed his desire to retire with the Chivas, and he used social media to say he is satisfied with his performances in Guadalajara over the last 5 years. Pereira helped the Chivas win the Concacaf Champions League in 2018, lifted two Copa MX trophies (Apertura 2015 and Clausura 2017), and the club also won the Supercopa MX 2016. His most cherished trophy is the one from the Liga MX Clausura 2017 when Guadalajara defeated the Tigres to earn the team’s 12th star.
“El Comandante” will be a valuable asset for Los Gallos Blancos and not just because of his defensive savvy, but more importantly because he is a great leader whose voice will be respected both on the field and in the locker room.
Maleck in fatal car accident
A few months back, we wrote about Joao Maleck a player with Mexico’s Under-20 national team who missed out on the World Cup while he was rehabbing a knee injury. His circumstances took a much more tragic turn on Sunday morning, June 23, 2019.
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Maleck was said to be speeding home after a late night out when his car slammed into a vehicle in which two newlyweds were driving for an early morning photo shoot the day after their wedding. The two victims died at the scene.
The 20-year-old Maleck was treated for minor injuries and turned over to prison authorities to be held for at least six months until formal charges are issued. At a hearing on June 28, a judge ordered the process suspended for 30 days to allow Maleck’s representatives to negotiate a settlement with the victims’ families. If a settlement is reached, Maleck might only face charges of manslaughter which typically carries a minor sentence.
If the families insist that prosecution go forward, Maleck could face charges of vehicular homicide, a crime that could lead to a 70-year sentence (effectively, two 35-year sentences for each count of vehicular homicide).
Shortly after the news of the incident became public, Sevilla B informed Santos Laguna that it was severing the loan agreement the two clubs had signed at the beginning of the year.