Chile is "the best rival" that Colombia could have had, says Mateus Uribe

Chile is «the best rival» that Colombia could have faced in the quarterfinals of the CONMEBOL Copa América because it leaves spaces that can be used to attack them, midfielder Mateus Uribe said on Wednesday.

«Of the two rivals that we could meet, for me, it’s much better for us Chile, exactly for our game, because it’s a team that plays football very well, but it also gives you space, it also gives you the option to play and we’ve been doing a very good job playing football», said the midfielder of the America the Mexico team at a press conference in Sao Paulo.

«We’ve been playing a very vertical strategy and that has helped us a lot to counteract the game of the rival team (…), but we’re aware that this is a step at a time», Uribe said in the Pacaembú stadium press room, minutes before the Tricolor team started training.

Colombia, led by the Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, trained on Wednesday at the Pacaembu stadium in Sao Paulo with its full squad. The ‘cafeteros’ do not have players injured or sanctioned for the decisive game against the two-time American champions.

The Tricolor qualified as a leader of the Group B with a perfect score after defeating Argentina, Qatar and Paraguay.

«Chile is the current champions, but Colombia is also superior» said defender Davinson Sanchez of England’s Tottenham. «Colombia has the strength to fight against everyone».

Sanchez, who will lead the back line along with Yerry Mina, said that performance in the groups stage will not have had » significance » if they do not defeat La Roja to advance to the semifinals.

The ‘cafetero’ team has never defeated the Chileans in the three direct elimination matches they have played in the continental tournament.

AFP