The head coach of the Uruguay national team, Marcelo Bielsa, said today that his authority was called into question, when the footballer Luis Suarez criticized his work style.
Suarez, who retired from Uruguay's national team in September, said earlier this month that Bielsa had split the squad and that some players were considering withdrawing from the national team.
The best scorer of the Uruguayan national team asked the fans not to criticize the players when things go wrong, as they will "explode" under the working conditions of the Argentine coach, in an interview with DSports television.
"In terms of how the situation affected me, I don't ignore what happened and I know it affected my authority in some way," Bjelsa said, the BBC reported.
Uruguay lost 1-0 to Peru in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup but remain third in the group with 15 points from nine games, behind Argentina and Colombia.
"What happened during the week does not reflect or explain how we played, nor do I think it had an effect, as it was a Sunday with a lot of enthusiasm. It did not change the conviction with which the game was prepared and the way the group and the coaches worked. Preparation was the same as always," said Bjelsa.
Suarez also criticized the treatment of footballer Agustin Canobi, who had to train as a reserve and ball passer during the Copa America, and members of the coaching staff were not allowed to greet or eat with the team.
Bjelsa was fired from Leeds in February 2022, and is known for his intense training and meticulous work during his work at "Eland Road".
In May 2023, he was appointed coach of Uruguay, in order to build a strong team for the 2026 World Cup.
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