Ex-Inter Milan star Recoba takes charge of Nacional

Montevideo, Oct 22 (IANS) Former Inter Milan and Uruguay attacker Alvaro Recoba has been appointed head coach of Nacional on a deal that runs until the end of 2024.

The 47-year-old replaces Alvaro Gutierrez, who was sacked following a 2-0 defeat to Boston River in Uruguay's Primera Division on Thursday, Xinhua reports.

"It's my goal to make the players grow day by day," Recoba told a press conference on Saturday. "I can't think of any other place I'd rather be and I'm motivated to start working."

Recoba had two spells as a player with Nacional - either side of a glittering career in Europe - before his retirement in 2015.

He has worked as an assistant and reserve team manager at Nacional since 2020.

When asked about his managerial style, Recoba said he would seek high intensity from his players while vowing to maintain his "human side".

"We would all like to play like [Pep] Guardiola's Barcelona," said Recoba, who was capped 69 times for Uruguay. "The issue is that to play like Guardiola's Barcelona you have to have the best players in the world.

"The reality is that it is eleven against eleven, where you have to occupy the spaces and where if you have intelligent players you will achieve better things than with players who are less intelligent or less perceptive," he added.

Nacional are currently seventh in Uruguay's 16-team top-flight standings with just two wins from six matches.