World Cup rebellion as Uruguay players turn on head coach Marcelo Bielsa
· Yahoo Sports
Uruguay's players reportedly turned against head coach Marcelo Bielsa just hours before the pivotal clash with Spain, after being pushed to their breaking point at the World Cup.
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Progression to the knockout stages was on the line during Saturday's fixture; the South American outfit sat second in Group H with two points from two games. A 1-0 victory for Spain in the finale knocked Uruguay out of the World Cup, sending Cape Verde through.
Uruguay's tournament debut got off to a rocky start, held to a 1-1 draw by Saudi Arabia, before the team's second meeting with lower-ranked Cape Verde ended in a 2-2 stalemate.
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Now, it is alleged that a faction of players has begun to revolt against Bielsa following injuries sustained in training due to excessive preparation.
GiveMeSport reports that Federico Valverde, Rochet, Manuel Ugarte, and Rodrigo Bentancur — among others — called a meeting with their head coach ahead of the showdown against Spain, voicing their discontent over the Argentine's punishing training regimen.
It is further reported that Uruguay pressured the former Leeds manager to make tactical changes ahead of their next fixture, following a series of disappointing performances.
However, Bielsa reportedly responded with a team meeting of his own, rejecting the idea of deploying a low block against Spain and making it abundantly clear that the players would maintain their tactical setup.
El Espectador reports that Bielsa also accused his players of attempting to remove him over his decision to leave out Luis Suarez and Nahitan Nandez from the squad selection.
The 70-year-old allegedly claimed he had shaped several national team careers, pointing to Maxi Araujo and Sebastian Caceres as examples.
Addressing his game plan for Uruguay's clash against Spain, Bielsa told reporters: "We are approaching tomorrow's match as a final. One of the best ways to defend is to make sure the opponent has the ball for less time."
On the subject of Luis de la Fuente, he remarked: "It seems to me that, with the type of soccer that he achieved with Spain, which is unique, and his entire work there, which is significant, it definitely doesn't reflect my own style.
"It's a type of soccer a lot more beautiful than what I achieved with my team. The truth is that what he has accomplished with Spain is admirable."