a point of no return between Bielsa and Uruguay?

Nothing is going well between Marcelo Bielsa and Uruguay. Inducted as Celeste coach in May 2023, the Argentinian, already at the head of his national team (1998-2004) and Chile (2007-2011), is gradually losing the reins of his locker room. If the results remain conclusive (third in the last Copa América and well placed to qualify directly for the next World Cup), internally the players are increasingly rejecting the methods of“The Fool”.

The Luis Suarez affair

It all started with Luis Suarez’s statements. At 37, the top scorer in the history of his selection (69 goals) retired from international football a month ago without completely stopping football. “The Gunslinger” continues to evolve under the colors of Inter Miami with Lionel Messi. Questioned by the media DSportsthe center forward returned to the unconventional methods of his coach. “I had to keep quiet for my selection. The national team was on top of everything and I didn’t want to be involved in a conflict.” he began. “It seemed better to me to remain silent to avoid friction. At the Copa America, there were things that touched me, that hurt me a lot. But I had to keep quiet out of respect for the selection.”

The former Barça player alludes to his being put in the closet by the coach. During the Copa América, Luis Suarez remained confined to the role of substitute with only 8 minutes of playing time in group play, none in the quarter-final against Brazil and 23 in the half during the defeat against Colombia (1-0). ).

If the situation between the two men was hostile, before the start of the competition they spoke. “Before the competition, I went to talk with him, I sat across from him, I talked to him for five minutes, looking him in the face, telling him that we, the players, were with him, that we were going to respect his decisions, everything that was going to happen. […] He said nothing in the five minutes I spoke to him, and I stood there waiting for a response. And I didn’t get an answer.”says the former Liverpool striker.

A more general problem

Like a stone in the pond, Luis Suarez’s statements caused other members of the selection to react. Beyond a personal problem, the Bielsa case is more general. According to the Miami player, “El loco” did not bother to say hello to his players and asked them not to greet the supporters in front of their hotels. Instructions which irritated several executives of the team like Matias Vecino. The Lazio midfielder has chosen to end his international career this year. “It is not surprising that cases are increasing. I think we need to set a limit. Afterwards, people will attack players who don’t want to come to the national team.”warned Luis Suarez.

Real player and now Celeste executive Federico Valverde confirmed the words of his ex-teammate Suarez, particularly regarding the attitude of the ex-OM coach with his locker room. “What Luis said is absolutely true. He never lied or said things that weren’t true. At no time did he exaggerate, he told it like it is. said the Real Madrid player.

Another concerned, Agustin Canobbio whose name Suarez mentioned in his interview: “We cannot let a player who is part of the 26-man squad for a Copa América believe that he is there to do what a training player does. This is a total lack of respect. This makes me angry. I’m going to support (Canobbio) on this one because he knew how to keep his cool.” Canobbio ended up exploding during the Copa America when he didn’t get any minutes of play.

“I wanted to speak and it wasn’t the time because they were going to talk about my anger, about not playing… It makes me sad, but I preferred to stay silent, also so as not to tarnish the group” says the player from Athletico (Brazilian club). “I told him (Bielsa) that he had disrespected me. He blamed me for making the team lose a match. There are 11 of us on the pitch and he blamed me for making the team lose. In this match, I felt very good technically. I was very shocked by the way he told it to me. When he arrived at the Copa América, two weeks before the first match, he already had his group, because he separated 6 or 7 players, adding the sparring partners, and he spoke with this group. He left us outside. I had these short minutes against Colombia, but it was difficult. I didn’t train with any of the teammates who were playing at the time.” Canobbio is having trouble digesting this Copa América under the orders of Bielsa.

Bielsa leaving?

This affair made the Uruguayan press talk. There, we talk about Bielsa’s discomfort. With these statements, the pressure and criticism around the coach have increased considerably. The national press also confirmed the information revealed by Luis Suárez, justifying a tense atmosphere in the locker room and even between the entire staff and the players. Criticized by some supporters and the media, the reaction of the ex-Leeds coach is expected.

La Celeste will play two matches against Peru (October 12) and Ecuador (October 16). Two decisive matches which could be the last of “El Loco” on the bench in the event of dismissal or hasty departure, knowing that the Argentinian would not be on his first try. His resignation at Olympique de Marseille after one day during the 2015-2016 financial year is remembered.