Marcelo Pitaluga's loan spell in Ireland has come to an abrupt end after less than six months, marked by just seven appearances.
Marcelo Pitaluga’s loan spell in Ireland has come to an abrupt end after less than six months, marked by just seven appearances.
The 21-year-old joined St Patrick’s Athletic in January, following in the footsteps of fellow Liverpool goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros, who had a successful stint with the club in 2021.
However, unlike Jaros, who celebrated winning silverware, Pitaluga struggled with his performance and confidence. Frequent errors led to diminished playing opportunities. On Friday, St Pat’s new manager, Stephen Kenny, confirmed the early termination of Pitaluga’s loan, stating, “We said goodbye to Marcelo, a great guy with a promising career ahead.”
Initially set to remain with the Irish club until November, Pitaluga returns to Liverpool after a challenging period. Despite starting the first four league games, a mistake-ridden match resulting in a 3-1 defeat to Waterford marked a turning point. He made only one more appearance in a cup match.
Previously, Pitaluga had a loan spell with eighth-tier Macclesfield during the 2022/23 season, which also proved difficult. Liverpool now aims to rebuild his confidence during the pre-season.
Eligible to occupy a homegrown slot in the Premier League, Pitaluga might have a chance with Liverpool next season, although another loan move remains a possibility. At Liverpool, Pitaluga has been a regular in first-team training, working alongside Alisson and coaches John Achterberg, Jack Robinson, and Claudio Taffarel.
With Achterberg and Robinson having left the club, new goalkeeping coach Fabian Otte, appointed by Arne Slot, will join after his duties with the United States at Copa America.
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