MENDOZA, July 2 (Reuters) - Chile captain Claudio Bravo has played down the age gap between his side and Mexico’s youngsters ahead of their Copa America clash on Monday, saying there is not much difference between the two teams.
Mexico are fielding an under-22 side at the tournament in Argentina, while Chile are putting out their first team.
The Mexicans have also dropped eight players from their squad due to a disciplinary scandal and have replaced them with relatively inexperienced youngsters.
But Bravo, Chile’s first choice goalkeeper, pointed out that the Chileans themselves are hardly old men.
“If you take the average age of our side it’s also very low,” Bravo told a news conference in Mendoza on Saturday ahead of their opening group match in nearby San Juan.
“We played the qualifiers (for the 2010 World Cup) with an average age of 21, 22. You can’t underestimate them (the Mexicans) because of their age, or for the problems they’ve had recently.”
Earlier this week the Mexican Football Federation sent eight players home for violating team rules during a training camp in Ecuador. CCTV footage from the team hotel showed women entering the players’ rooms.
Bravo, 28, was part of the youthful Chile squad that made it through the group stage of last year’s World Cup in South Africa before falling to Brazil.
Chile and Mexico are in Group C at the Copa America, alongside Uruguay and Peru who meet in Monday’s early game.
Mexico are fielding an under-22 side at the tournament in Argentina, while Chile are putting out their first team.
The Mexicans have also dropped eight players from their squad due to a disciplinary scandal and have replaced them with relatively inexperienced youngsters.
But Bravo, Chile’s first choice goalkeeper, pointed out that the Chileans themselves are hardly old men.
“If you take the average age of our side it’s also very low,” Bravo told a news conference in Mendoza on Saturday ahead of their opening group match in nearby San Juan.
“We played the qualifiers (for the 2010 World Cup) with an average age of 21, 22. You can’t underestimate them (the Mexicans) because of their age, or for the problems they’ve had recently.”
Earlier this week the Mexican Football Federation sent eight players home for violating team rules during a training camp in Ecuador. CCTV footage from the team hotel showed women entering the players’ rooms.
Bravo, 28, was part of the youthful Chile squad that made it through the group stage of last year’s World Cup in South Africa before falling to Brazil.
Chile and Mexico are in Group C at the Copa America, alongside Uruguay and Peru who meet in Monday’s early game.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire