Matías González left Peñarol after just 212 minutes, cites disconnect with coach

Six official matches and 212 minutes across an entire six-month stretch. That is the balance sheet from Matías González's return to Peñarol in 2026, a number that explains far better than any speech why the defender ended up packing his bags for Central Español in July. Now, wearing the black and white jersey, he opened up about what went through his mind during those months on the bench.

González, born on November 29, 2002, in Montevideo, is no stranger passing through the club. He came up through the youth ranks there, made his First Division debut in 2022 playing four matches in the Río de la Plata Series, then went out to get some seasoning: two seasons on loan at Danubio, between 2024 and 2025, where he racked up 36 appearances and built a reputation as a reliable player. He carried that track record back to Peñarol this year. The reality turned out to be different: just one start the entire six months.

Speaking with La Mañana del Fútbol (El Espectador Deportes), the center back held little back, though he stopped short of going all the way. "What I really think about how things played out isn't for public consumption. I'd rather keep it to myself," he began. But he immediately dropped a hint about what bothered him: the gap between what he was told and what actually happened on the field.

If it were a matter of quality on the field, the coach doesn't tell you after a match "I thought you looked really good" and then you play 10 minutes and don't play again for the rest of the tournament. It leads you to a lot of confusion, at least going by what the man in charge tells you. It doesn't add up that it was about performance if that's what they're saying to you.Matías González

Frustrated at being denied a chance

González was candid about his personality: "I consider myself pretty hot tempered, and that makes it very easy to get frustrated. Not playing wears on you." And that's where he dropped the point that stings the most: Peñarol's six months were far from a smooth ride, and yet he couldn't find a spot even in the games where the team was dropping points.

"If we drew and lost half our matches, why didn't I get a chance? If you're winning 99 percent of the points, nobody can say anything. But if you're only picking up half the points, couldn't I have gotten a shot at starting in the Uruguayan Championship?" he asked. His only start came, fittingly, in the worst possible context: against Corinthians, in Brazil, in the third matchday of the group stage of the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores, with the team all but eliminated and a final result of 2-0 in defeat.

His closing thought was the sharpest of the whole conversation, touching on an issue that has lingered at Peñarol for some time: the struggle young players coming up through the club face in earning playing time compared to reinforcements brought in from outside. "At Peñarol, it seems like it's easier to break in from outside than to break in from within the club. Just look at the case of Thiago Espinosa," González said, leaving the door open to a possible return if his performance earns it.