Bielsa’s Fury: The Controversy of Changes in the Basque Country Friendly

Bielsa complained about the changes of the Basque Country team in a friendly (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

In what was their first match of the year, the Uruguayan team drew 1-1 against the Basque Country team at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mamés stadium. It was a special moment that Marcelo Bielsa experienced, since the Argentine coach returned to the playing field of the team he coached for two seasons (2011-2013) and left a pleasant memory.

Beyond the reunion with the public of the Euskadi team, during the match a situation arose that generated the fury of the former Newell’s coach. Jagoba Arrasate, coach of the team that faced the Celeste in the first of the two matches of the March FIFA window preparatory to the Copa América, called up twenty players with the intention that all of those mentioned could see action since they completed three years without matches for the tricolor.

After the first half, which ended with an advantage for the locals (1-1), Arrasate promoted six modifications for the second half of the match. “We said there were five changes, you already made all five. Do you want to make a sixth? Do it, but that is the limit, what you proposed”, were the words of Bielsa who, with a coffee in his hand, showed his discontent because the rival coach did something that distorted the match.

Minutes later, the coach tried to make three more changes, which generated even more annoyance in the coach who was crowned champion of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games with the Argentine team. According to the media El Correo and Naiz, the moment the players Olasagasti, Aguirregabiria and Urko González came on as replacements was when Bielsa exploded against the referee De Burgos Bengoetxea.

A classic postcard of Bielsa during the matches (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

“Let them do what they want,” exclaimed the man who also coached the Chilean national team, according to the Basque Country press. Why El Loco’s anger? Beyond knowing that the friendly was against a particular team, the Argentine coach fought for the rules of the match to be the same as those used by FIFA in an official competition.

After being 0-1, the tie for the Uruguayan team came one minute into the second stage thanks to a cross from Guillermo Varela that Matías Vecino converted for a goal. After the tie in San Mamés, the Basque coach explained the situation to the media. “There is a contract between the two participants where that was established, that is why we make a call for 20 players. Then, as it was a match classified as UEFA B, there had to be an agreement between both for there to be more than six changes. We understood that it did exist, but from Uruguay they tell us that it did not and that is why I went to ask Bielsa to please let me do them,” said Arrasate.

What was Bielsa’s reaction? Once the duel between the two was over, Marcelo did not appear at the post-match press conference.

Uruguay’s preparation path for the Copa América will continue with the second friendly to be played this Tuesday at the Bollaert-Delelis stadium, the site of Lens, in France. La Celeste will face Ivory Coast, the African team that has just won the last edition of the African Cup of Nations that was held in its country and in which it defeated Nigeria in the title match.

It must be remembered that Uruguay will be the protagonist of the Group in the next Copa América to be held in the United States. They will share the zone against Panama, a team against which they will debut on Sunday, June 23. They will then face Bolivia (Thursday the 27th) and close the group stage against the American team on Monday, July 1.

2024-03-25 17:49:00
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