The Colombian National Team travels to the United States for the two previous friendlies they will have before the Copa América. Néstor Lorenzo assured that all this time that he has had with the players has helped him to recover the burdens of several and continue strengthening the idea of the game. He made it clear that the two names that will come out of the call They will be known until the deadline for delivery of the final list, which is next June 15.
A complete week of the team working, although throughout it several players have been added to complete the 28 that were named to face the United States on Saturday, June 8, and Bolivia on the 15th of the same month in Washington. The coach referred to what will be the path leading up to the competition in the Cup.
Called to Copa América
When will he turn 26 for the Copa América?: “The group is fine, you know that the final list for the Copa América has not yet been defined, that has to be given on the 15th (June) the same day we play against Bolivia, the list of 26 has to be given and therefore “In any event, we will wait until the last minute.”
Criteria for choosing the 26: “Here we have a microcycle prior to the Cup, which is the matches and we always have to be prepared for any eventuality. God willing that nothing happens with the issue of injuries, but the criteria are both. If I say that it is due to overcrowding in a position, they are going to start speculation and I don’t want to. I want the players to compete, to show themselves, to see whoever is better and whoever we see can fulfill more than one position. There are many things, but the final decision and choice will be very fine. Today we don’t know, we have an idea of a replacement and what they have played for. But today the door is open for 28″.
Motivation, rivals before the Cup and preparation
Motivated selection for the Cup: “Motivation is the best, we are in a process where the assembly of the group and the awareness of selection was fundamental from the beginning. The players know it, so we are going to face how we have been so far as we have been 2 years ago, game by game. We are going to take the first match against the United States with the utmost seriousness and with the possibility of preparation as a match prior to the Copa América.”
Committed players: “We are fine, the group knows that being here is a source of pride and satisfaction for them. That there are guys who could be there, but for different reasons they are out. Due to the competition inherent to the position, but we know that we all seek the best from all possible aspects.”
More preparation time with Selection: “It helped us to equalize loads, several players came with good vacation time, others who just finished playing two or three days ago. We are equalizing physical loads to even out the group and arrive in the best way on the 24th. The matches against the United States and Bolivia will help us reach the Cup in the best way.”
Consecutive matches and player recovery: “There is a lot of competition, regulation happens because the campuses are larger. You have to put together well, especially in a team due to the number of competitions. As for Selection, it was always the same. South American teams have the disadvantage that the players have to cross the ocean, 6 or 7 hours of time difference, play on Sunday, then on Tuesday. It is not easy, it is for all of South America, we have digested it a little. But it is true that sometimes, as the player is given in many aspects, he is also asked in terms of performance. “We have to be prepared.”
Borja’s call and the two years with the National Team
Miguel Ángel Borja: “I have known him since the time with José. I always said that he was not a player that I had to see or try because he knew him. Taking advantage of his good moment, we believe that he can contribute goals to the National Team, so he is going to compete, he has a lot of competition.”
Two years at the head of the National Team: “The way to compete is to go game by game, we don’t think about what we’ve already done and we’re not satisfied. As long as the team continues to grow in its performance, in its variants, in the possibility of the players available. That we can, with the coaching staff, decide that a player is ready to release him, to put him to play. That gives us a lot of satisfaction, the growth of the possibilities that we may have to execute the changes or the choice of the system that gives us a lot of satisfaction, beyond the results. We do not live from memory, nor from the pressure for the result. The result will come through work in all facets.”
Colombia, better in the second half: “It is something that we have to improve, some situations at the beginning of the games have surprised us or we have been confident. These are issues to improve, we talk about it with the players and all the circumstances are different or have something in common which is the early stages, but that is discussed within the group and we hope to improve that.”
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