Matías Pellegrini is showing early signs of rewarding the faith New York City FC showed in him when they claimed him off waivers two different times in 2022.
Pellegrini put in his best NYCFC performance to date in the home-opening win over his former club Inter Miami CF, and has become an early staple in head coach Nick Cushing’s Starting XIs.
While undoubtedly expected to see more 2023 minutes for NYCFC after logging just 70 across six total appearances after arriving late in 2022, it’s still something of a surprise to see him a week-after-week starter three matches into the season.
Pellegrini entered 2023 as a bit of an unknown. Since 2020, his playing career has been derailed by the double whammy of a COVID-shortened season and by his Miami roster spot disappearing as collateral damage for the team’s blatant violations of MLS roster rules during its first season in the league.
