In the semifinals of the Copa America, which ended this morning, Uruguay defeated Colombia 0-1 and regrettably bid farewell to the final stage. After the match, Uruguay's manager Bielsa accepted the media interviews and made an in-depth analysis and reflection on the match.
Bielsa began by recognizing his team's strengths, stating, "We are clearly capable of winning this game. From the point of view of individual ability, this team under me is better than the opponent in several aspects." However, he also candidly pointed out the team's shortcomings in the game, "But at some point, we had to make some adjustments that didn't have the desired effect. The substitutions of players such as Nandez, Araujo, Matias Oliveira, Vinha, Bentancur and others didn't fully play to their level, and this is something we need to reflect on deeply."
Commenting on his team's performance in the game, Bielsa said, "I, as manager, need to take responsibility for failing to capitalize on my team's strengths. With players capable of outplaying our opponents, we failed to gain the upper hand in the first half and also failed to capitalize on our numerical advantage in the second half to turn things around." He further explained, "In the second half, Colombia had to play with one man less due to a red card, which should have been an opportunity for us, but the game became unnatural. The game was interrupted numerous times and although these were within the rules, it was difficult for us to maintain a rhythm that allowed the team to take full advantage of its pace of play."
Speaking about his team's efforts, Bielsa said, "We tried every possible way to equalize, but putting in the effort doesn't absolve us from failing to break the deadlock when we could." He emphasized that the team needs to be more calm and decisive to face the challenges in the game.
In addition, Bielsa spoke about the post-match clash between Nunez and Colombian fans. He stated, "I had thought that the players were thanking the Uruguayan fans for their support on the sidelines, but then I realized that other types of difficulties had occurred. It's something that is really regrettable. We hope that the players will remain calm and rational and not let their emotions affect the relationship between them and the fans."
