Marcelo Bielsa excludes Arrascaeta and Ronald Araújo from Uruguay’s crucial match in the World Cup; De La Cruz is praised
Coach Marcelo Bielsa confirmed the absences of Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Flamengo midfielder, and Ronald Araújo, Barcelona defender, for Uruguay’s decisive clash against Spain. The match, valid for the last round of the World Cup group stage, will define Celeste’s future in Group H, after the 2-2 draw with Cape Verde this Sunday (21), which left the team in a complicated situation in the search for classification.
Asked about the recovery of injured athletes, the Uruguayan coach was emphatic in declaring that the national team’s number 10 and Flamengo’s main articulator will not be on the field, as will the Catalan team’s defender. The lack of Arrascaeta, one of the most creative and decisive players in South American football, represents a significant challenge to the team’s strategy against a high-level opponent like Spain.
“No, they have no chance of playing against Spain. Neither De Arrascaeta nor Araújo,” said the coach.
Another Flamengo athlete in the Uruguayan squad, Nicolás De La Cruz participated in the second half of the match against Cape Verde and is expected to have more minutes on the field in the clash against Spain.
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Marcelo Bielsa made a point of highlighting the Red and Black midfielder’s dedication in his preparation to compete in the World Cup with the Celeste team.
“Regarding De La Cruz… I can’t say that he can play 45 minutes, or less than 45 minutes, or a complete match. That kind of thing… He made a lot of efforts to resolve his arrival at the World Cup with very few minutes in Flamengo’s first half. He made a lot of efforts, and I didn’t give him the possibility to show the amount of minutes he can absorb. I placed him according to the needs that the game placed in me”, replied the coach, highlighting the player’s commitment despite the lack of rhythm in the club.
After equal results against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde in the first two rounds, Uruguay, now with De La Cruz and without the presence of Arrascaeta, will face the powerful Spanish team. The clash is scheduled for this Friday (26), starting at 9pm (Brasília time).
Accumulating just two points, the Uruguayan team occupies second place in the group, but its chance of advancing to the next stage is under considerable threat. This is due to the fact that Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia will also face each other in the final round, potentially changing the table significantly.
Check the updated classification of Group H
- Spain: 1st, with 4 points
- Uruguay: 2nd, with 2 points
- Cape Verde: 3rd, with 2 points
- Saudi Arabia: 4th, with 1 point
