Lucas Ferreira Finally Breaks Goal Drought, Opens Up on Clasico Sting Against Nacional

It took a while, but it finally arrived. Lucas Ferreira had sent in several dangerous crosses, won his share of aerial duels, and held his position well in the back three, but the goal had eluded him since he joined Peñarol at the start of 2026. That Sunday, in the 3-1 win over Albion in matchday 6 of the 2026 Clausura Tournament, he finally got the monkey off his back.

The defender didn't hide his joy after the final whistle. "I'm happy for the group, for how we played and how we won. I'd been chasing that goal for a while, it kept teasing me," he said, with that mix of relief and satisfaction that only someone who has spent weeks hovering around the opposing box without finishing can truly understand.

I'm happy for the group, for how we played and how we won. I'd been chasing that goal for a while, it kept teasing meLucas Ferreira

The Clasico: A Wound That Has Already Healed

Not everything has been smooth sailing for Peñarol these past few weeks. Two matchdays ago came the loss to Nacional, a blow that stung inside the locker room. Ferreira didn't dodge the topic and was direct about it: "We know the clasico was a tough blow, but we've already picked ourselves back up and we know our goal is to become champions at the end of the year, and we're working toward that." The line sums up the group's mindset well: turn the page quickly and focus on what's ahead.

Pezzella, the Signing Making a Difference Day to Day

With Diego Aguirre setting up a back three, Ferreira found a top-class partner following the arrival of Germán Pezzella in the last transfer window. The experienced Argentine center back wasted no time earning the locker room's respect, and Ferreira didn't mince words about it: "As a person, 10 out of 10, and what can I say as a player, he's going to help us a lot because he has a lot of experience and he's bringing it to the club in a great way. He'll help the younger guys keep developing and reach our goal by the end of the year."

That mention of "the younger guys" is no accident. Pezzella arrived with a reputation as a natural leader, and according to one of his new teammates in defense, he's already living up to that role in the day to day life of the squad.

The Sanction: A Topic They'd Rather Leave Behind

The defender also addressed the harsh sanction the club received in recent weeks, a matter that stirred up plenty of noise around Peñarol. His stance was clear: look forward. "As for the sanction, there's nothing we can do about it, we have to leave it behind and keep doing our job. We're dealing with the sanction calmly, knowing that if we become champions at the end of the year, we'll celebrate with the fans," he concluded.

Between the goal he'd been waiting for, Pezzella's arrival, and the need to move past both the clasico and the sanction, Ferreira painted the picture of a Peñarol side sticking to the same idea: fight for the Clausura title until the very end.