Marcelo Bielsa, coach of Uruguay, This Thursday he avoided hanging the favorite sign in the America Cup to the Uruguayan squad, at least until they face the best teams in the tournament, after two victories in two games including tonight’s 5-0 thrashing against Bolivia.
“To draw these conclusions there are many steps that have not been taken. Without underestimating the strength of the two teams we faced (Panama and Bolivia), they are not among those previously assigned as the best teams in this competition,” he said at a press conference.
“In today’s football, it is one thing to attribute a team with justified potential (…) and another to confirm it with the power and resources of the best exponents. If one does not do that, drawing conclusions seems to me to be incorrect,” he added.
However, the coach did recognize that they are “taking steps” and? “Today was better than last”.
Uruguay will close Group C against USA and is virtually qualified for the quarter-finals unless a highly improbable combination occurs with outrageous goals.
Regarding the duel against Bolivia, Bielsa highlighted “the percentage of effectiveness” facing the goal and also his fluidity in the offensive part.
“Most of the times Uruguay reached the final third of the opponent’s half, they managed to change the pace of the play and turn possession into deep, aggressive, dangerous situations. There was a 15-minute period in the second half, a little more or a little less, where the circulation and possession did not turn into danger, but in the rest of the match there was possession, circulation and danger,” argument.
“In the previous match (against Panama), we had 15 minutes in the second half of a different performance than we had in the rest of the match and today in the second half there was also a slightly longer period where the production was different. Although we did not suffer situations in our goal, we stopped creating danger in the rival goal for a period of time,” he added.
Bielsa also had words for two players in particular. About Federico Valverde He commented that his goal was “very much his style, very much what he represents.”
“And at certain moments in today’s game he resembled the player he plays for Real Madrid and that is an objective for us and for him,” said.
In addition, the coach spoke about Luis Suarez, chanted by the stadium on several occasions and who had his first minutes in the Copa América already entering the finale.
“It (the fans’ affection) is an absolutely deserved recognition for Luis Suárez’s career. I think it’s legitimate: the public wants to see their idols and without a doubt Luis Suárez is one of them,” he assured.
EFE
