Uruguay camp in crisis as players challenge Bielsa ahead of Spain clash

Abayomi Ademola

Tension has reportedly arisen within the Uruguay national team camp ahead of their crucial FIFA World Cup clash against Spain, according to Uruguayan outlet El Espectador Uy.

The report claimed that senior players Sergio Rochet, Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde requested a private meeting with coach Marcelo Bielsa to express concerns about his training methods and tactical approach to the match.

According to the report, players complained about the intensity of training and expressed concern about injuries suffered by some members of the squad. They also reportedly urged Bielsa to take a more cautious approach against Spain by using a low defensive block and relying on counter-attacks.

Through El Espectador Uy, Bielsa responded by gathering the entire squad for a meeting in which he supposedly spoke for 48 minutes looking at the ground. During the speech, the veteran coach allegedly accused certain players of previously attempting to undermine his authority following previous issues involving Luis Suarez and Nahitan Nandez.

The report further claimed that Bielsa reminded the team that he helped develop the careers of players such as Sebastián Cáceres and Maxi Araujo, while insisting that Uruguay must play Spain “mirror for mirror”.

Bielsa would have ended the meeting by stating that the players selected for the World Cup were those he considered loyal to him.