Marcelo Saracchi’s strong start to life at Celtic has been rewarded on the international stage, not just with a recall to the Uruguay squad, but also with the captain’s armband.
The left-back, who joined the Hoops on loan from Boca Juniors, has made an immediate impact in Brendan Rodgers’ side, showing both defensive discipline and attacking energy.
He’s been filling in for Kieran Tierney, who hasnt got up to full fitness, but will be giving Brendan Rodgers tough decisions to make with team selection calls over the next few matches.
His form hasn’t gone unnoticed by Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa, the former Leeds United manager, who brought him back into the international fold after over a year out of the setup.
Saracchi made his return in a 1-0 win over the Dominican Republic in Kuala Lumpur and was named captain for the match, a huge show of faith from Bielsa and a testament to the 26-year-old’s performances and professionalism.
Saracchi said: “Playing for the national team is a beautiful thing and being captain is a huge honour.
“At Celtic, it’s a completely different kind of football than Argentinian football, which is more competitive. Scottish football is more similar to English football.
“My goal has always been to get playing time. I’ve been absent from the national team, so my aim has always been to play as much as possible at Celtic because we have a World Cup coming up and I would very much like to be there.
“Wearing the captain’s armband is a source of pride and also a huge responsibility. It’s something amazing that will remain in the memory of my career as something I was able to achieve.
“Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching staff constantly send us analysis of our matches at the clubs and they have guidelines on what kind of full-backs we are, what they want us to repeat and what we need to improve in the national team.” [RecordSport]
It’s another encouraging step for a player who is quickly becoming a fan favourite at Celtic Park.
Celtic did try to negotiate a buy clause in the player’s loan contract over the summer, so hopefully that is something that can be revisited, through more negotiations, if he keeps the good form up.
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