Competing in the Nations League, Xavi and Luis de Fuente have said they were against it. Kolkata: The response to the new, reshaped and longer international window has been mixed. Maybe even a South America-Europe divide. For Uruguay coach Diego Forlan and Brazil’s Carlo Ancelotti, the opportunity to spend more time with the national team has been a blessing as they try and shake off a disappointing World Cup campaign.
Beginning on September 21, this break is for 16 days and ends on Tuesday when India host Uruguay at the Salt Lake stadium. The players had met one day before the game against Japan, said Forlan, referring to the 1-3 defeat to Japan. Uruguay won 4-1.
Because of their time together, appointed till March 2027, Forlan said Uruguay were better in South Korea than in Japan.
Teams can play a maximum of four games in this window, FIFA has said after merging the September and October FIFA dates. “Of course, some of us we knew from our country but we didn’t have the opportunity to know each other as professionals. After four days, we had a really difficult game against Korea but we had had more time for the players to rest and know each other.
Not for the national teams and not for the clubs that release their players and sometimes see them return injured,” Xavi, the Netherlands coach, said before Sunday’s 2-1 win against Serbia in a Nations League group game in Eindhoven. With matches against teams from Africa and Europe ruled out — the former is playing the 2027 Cup of Nations qualifiers — they have travelled to Asia. He handed debuts to goalkeeper Pedro Morisco and defender Arthur Dias in the 4-0 win against India. Forlan made his debut against Japan as national team head coach and spoke on Monday about the chance to enjoy 20 days together.
Spain coach Luis De la Fuente has said he preferred the earlier nine-day window. Forlan said he knew what he was signing up for. “This schedule is not good. “Such a packed calendar three months after a World Cup is asking for trouble. Contrast that with how Brazil and Uruguay have approached this window. “This is not a test but an opportunity. Four more played for Brazil for the first time in the two friendlies in Australia. A pet peeve of national team coaches is lack of time with players. “The time that you will have will be different from being a manager at a club. It’s been that way for so many years and it will be the same. So, I was not complaining. Not that he is now.
I am still finding my final squad,” said Ancelotti here on Friday.
