Álvaro Fidalgo shuts the door: he won’t return to América

Álvaro Fidalgo, a Betis midfielder, started for Mexico in their 1-1 draw against Peru and then ruled out any return to América. The player, who joined Sevilla in January, addressed the speculation that had been circulating throughout the summer.

Fidalgo said leaving for Betis was about getting out of his comfort zone, and he tied his decision to family reasons: “Now I’m going to be a dad too,” he said. He also mentioned that after moving back to Spain he faced personal hardship, adding that he experienced “the loss of my grandfather.”

The midfielder admitted he’s finding it difficult to play regularly due to Pellegrini’s competition, pointing to his current output this season: only 62 minutes, with 20 teammates ahead of him. “I’m in a Champions League team,” he added, stressing that his goal is to improve “in every training session and in every minute.”

After Peru, Mexico next face the United States on Saturday, before ending the friendly window in Los Angeles against Chile on Tuesday.