Diego Alonso, coach of Uruguay, analyzed Monday’s match against Portugal with the second round of World Cup Group H in mind. A meeting of heightened importance for the South Americans, who drew with South Korea in the first game.
“We have already seen the balance that exists in this World Cup and what has happened with Argentina and Germany. [n.d.r. perderam com Arábia Saudita e Japão, respetivamente] and how difficult it was for Portugal to beat Ghana. We don’t underestimate the opposition or the result we showed against South Korea, but we are here to win games and keep the dream going,” he began with a warning before praising the Quinas teams:
“They have a very good team, with very good personalities, and an experienced coach who knew how to lead a team to titles. They have been playing together for a long time and that makes Portugal a dangerous team. But we also have our own arguments, which also make us a dangerous adversary.”
“Portugal have several options: they can play counterattack because they have speed or they can dominate because they have inside play. It’s a whole team,” he added.
When asked which element of the Portuguese team he would choose to play in “his” Uruguay, Diego Alonso answered bluntly: “With all due respect to the players from Portugal, I prefer everyone I have in Uruguay.”
The coach ruled out any advantage for Uruguay, Portugal’s “executioner” at the 2018 World Cup, stressing that “all games have a different story.”
On Uruguayans with Portuguese football experience – Darwin (ex-Benfica, starting XI against South Korea), Coates and Ugarta (athletes, unused substitutes): “They may have a deeper knowledge, but I don’t think that’s an advantage. We , of course, talked to them about any doubts, because we all help, but whoever is in the best conditions and in the best football moment will play.”
