Spain faces Uruguay tonight (Saturday, June 27th at 2 AM CEST, 1 AM BST), and Uruguay desperately needs a win to secure a place in the round of 16 after two draws. Their fate is precarious: they could top the group and face Austria or Algeria in the next round, finish second and meet Argentina, end up third, or even be eliminated if they lose and Saudi Arabia defeats Cape Verde.
This is a must-win game, but it’s accompanied by controversy. An article in El Espectador claims a “revolt” has erupted within the national team. According to this Uruguayan outlet, a group of players – Sergio Rochet, Fede Valverde, Manuel Ugarte, and Rodrigo Bentancur – privately met with coach Marcelo Bielsa to request a change in his World Cup tactical approach, which has been ineffective and would be even more challenging against a team like Spain.
Essentially, the players believe they should adopt a low block and focus on counter-attacks, a style more akin to Uruguay’s traditional approach. However, Bielsa is not keen on this, favoring a more offensive game with greater ball possession, similar to Spain’s style. This is reflected in the statistics: Uruguay is the third team with the most shots per game on average in this World Cup, with 19 attempts, trailing only Spain and Turkey (who have already been eliminated). Despite this, Uruguay has only scored 3 goals and conceded 3 in two matches, both of which ended in draws.
During the meeting, the players also asked Bielsa to reduce training intensity to prevent injuries and fatigue, as many were already exhausted before the tournament even began. Bielsa, however, dismissed these suggestions. Instead, he gathered all the players and delivered a 48-minute monologue defending his playing style, confirming their intention to emulate Spain tactically, and reigniting controversies, particularly the one surrounding Luis Suárez, who had publicly criticized his authoritarian behavior after leaving the national team.
Consequently, some players left the meeting during a break, even though Bielsa had not finished speaking. While some remained to listen, others departed, highlighting a disconnect between Bielsa and at least some of his players, both in terms of tactical football approaches and attitude. Many believe that a loss in this match will signal the end of Bielsa’s tenure with the team.