‘The best way’: Marcelo Bielsa knows EXACTLY how to make Darwin Nunez a superstar

Uruguay boss Marcelo Bielsa knows exactly how to get the best out of Liverpool’s Darwin Nunez. He’s explained it in detail.

Darwin Nunez is in absolutely magnificent form for Uruguay under Marcelo Bielsa. The Liverpool striker scored again in their Copa America opener against Panama, scoring his country's second in a 3-1 win.

But that's just the latest. Nunez bagged a hattrick against Mexico in a pre-tournament friendly earlier this month. His form to end 2023 was ridiculously good, too, with goals against Colombia, Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia (2).

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All in all, Nunez has scored on his last six appearances for Uruguay, with nine goals in total. So what happened? The striker only has 12 international goals, meaning three-quarters of them have come in the last six of his 24 caps.

Bielsa happened. He took over as Uruguay boss last June and has immediately gotten the best out of Nunez, helping him reach the form of his life.

And there's no great secret to it, either. Bielsa has explained how you get the best out of Nunez: giving him the ball.

Marcelo Bielsa on Darwin Nunez

"The only thing that concerns me is that he finds himself in the best position possible, as often as possible, to do what he does extraordinarily well, which is to score, to finish, to complete attacking moves, to choose where to direct the shot he's in a position to execute," said Bielsa, per ESPN.

"It would be contradictory if I said that what has value are the goals because I'm saying the opposite. If he scores, he scores; if he misses, he misses; does he know how to finish? He knows how to finish."

Bielsa, then, is saying that Nunez's best trait - and the one he thrives on - is an ability to find chances. It's something we've certainly seen at Liverpool. Yes, he may miss some sitters but the sheer volume of chances he finds is extraordinary.

Only Erling Haaland has more expected goals per 90 minutes, excluding penalties, than Nunez in the Premier League last season.

"What's the best way to support [a player who] doesn't need support because he has shown he can resolve it himself?" asked Bielsa. "By trying to ensure he has many opportunities to score goals."

There's the secret, then: create chances for him. That's the task for Arne Slot next season if Liverpool are to get the best out of Nunez.

Let's see if he can master it the way Bielsa has.

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